This is just the beginning...
Home is where THE HEART IS ~ Proverb
After the last issue I felt a little nonplussed, where to next. I felt like I had reached a plateau
of sorts, all seemed uncertain, so I asked for a little guidance. I felt into my next steps
rather than think about them, feeling being the new way forward as the head is more of a
practical device. It led me to excitement; if I felt excited about something, then that would
be my guide to do it.
A book popped into my hands one day by Elisa Medhus, about losing her son to suicide
and her connection with him now. It’s our main feature and is such a cool story. In our
interview we learnt that the human shift that is coming is happening gracefully while
seemingly chaotic. It’s a simple journey from head to heart, not so far really but huge in
terms of its impact on how we live. Feel into your life and allow this to be your guide and
as you feel, feel more, it expands always.
So many good articles in this issue, I will let you feel into whichever ones call you.
Until next time, stay in your heart, home is where the heart is.
paul congdon, Publisher

PHOTO: DAVID KENNA

Contentment
4

Spring Vibes Happenings on the holistic horizon

6

Positively Newsworthy Fodder for the heart

10

Spirituality and the City Our readers on Renewal

12

Positive Parenting Your best is good enough

14

Dee Wallace Nurturing the New into being

16

Amanda Collins Listen to your Soul speak

18

Earthsong A more human-friendly existence

20

Positive Personality Limitless love with Miranda Macpherson

22

Maan Kantar Awaken through Sacred Sound

24

Positive Retreat Detox-styled retreat

26

Tantra Uniting Classical and Neo-Tantra

28

Elisa & Erik Medhus Mother and son share wisdom from the spirit world

32

Mantak Chia The Tao way to health

34

Davie Philip Enabling all temperaments to shine

36

CNM Improve your food-aptitude

38

Hans Wieland Crazy about Chillies

40

Spring Recipes Savour the flavours of Spring-time

43

Short and Sweet Snapshots of health and healing

56

Positively physical Let Nature nurture you

59

Elva Carri Know Thyself Truthfully

60

Positive Self-Discovery The journey from Mind to Heart

62

Astrology Serious matters of Saturn

Publisher PC Media
paul@positivelife.ie
Co-Editorial Alison McEvoy
and Aisling Cronin
editor@positivelife.ie
Design Conor O’Brien
info@conorobrien.ie
Ad Design Caroline Hanan
caroline.hanan@gmail.com
Advertising Paul Congdon
paul@positivelife.ie
0861579518
Social media Yahaira L. Reyes
Yahaira@positivelife.ie
Thanks to our advertisers, we
can give Positive Life magazine to
you for FREE. If you’re talking to
them, let them know we sent you
their way.
Please use the information
provided in this publication as a
recommendation only to better
mental and physical health. We
strongly advise you to consult
your doctor regarding health
concerns that you may have. The
views expressed by contributors
and advisors do not necessarily
represent the views of the
publication’s staff.
Printed, published, packaged and
distributed in Ireland.
positivelife.ie

spring
vibes

“

“IS THE SPRING COMING?’ HE SAID. ‘WHAT IS IT LIKE?”
“IT IS THE SUN SHINING ON THE RAIN AND THE RAIN FALLING ON THE SUNSHINE…”
― FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT, THE SECRET GARDEN

eats n’
treats
Delectable Delights
If you’re in the mood for indulgence, check
out the adorable Cake Room, located on
19A Main Street, Blackrock, Dublin. This
popular café serves breakfast, lunch,
drinks, coffee … and of course, a dazzling
array of cakes. Their reputation for high
quality service has earned them a welldeserved place in customers’ hearts.
facebook.com/TheCakeRoomBlackrock

All Shouk Up
For a dining experience with a difference,
we highly recommend Shouk, an Eastern
Mediterranean restaurant in Drumcondra,
north Dublin. Shouk is tucked away in a
beautiful redbrick Victorian building that
just oozes character. Our advice? Try the
mezze platter. You won’t regret it.
facebook.com/shoukdublin

The Ría Organics Energising Day Cream
provides essential all-day hydration.
Certified COSMOS-Organic, this unique
rosehip blend is packed with hyaluronic
acid to lock in moisture and help reduce
the appearance of fine lines. Ría Organics
is planting its own organic roses this
spring to produce rosehip oil for its
products.
riaorganics.ie

enticing
escapes

Naturally Cleaner Teeth

Delve Into Delphi

Irish brand Happy Humphry is fully
committed to delivering great dental care
products with excellent customer service.
Their 100% Natural Activated Charcoal
Powder is derived from coconuts – one of
nature’s most powerful healing sources – and
their activated charcoal is 100% natural with
no chemicals and no fluoride. Happy days!

In need of revitalisation? Look no further
than Delphi Adventure Resort’s fantastic
Spring Cleanse Retreat, a yoga weekend
designed to de-stress and rejuvenate the
body, mind and soul. This retreat runs
from April 13th – 15th. If you can’t make
it, don’t worry: Delphi will hold another
retreat in September.

happyhumphry.com
CAKE ROOM

Authentically Irish

delphiadventureresort.com

Hemp is a source of nutrients unlike
any other, containing all the families of
essential fatty acids. ImproveMe CBD Oil
is filled to the brim with nutritional and
health promoting properties.
improve-me.co.uk

JODY MOUNTAIN

Soul Rejuvenation
Saol Beo has created an inspirational
retreat this May in the beautiful
Inistioge, Co.Kilkenny. This will include
accommodation, freshly prepared vegan
meals, guided yoga, meditation, Feng Shui
classes, a Beauty Ritual workshop and
of course, plenty of time to explore the
breathtaking surroundings of Inistioge.
For further information please contact
Tara at hello@saolbeo.ie

Unlock Life’s Magic
Jody Mountain’s new online course – The
Body Consciousness Training – is aimed
at awakening our bodies’ cellular wisdom.
She will also offer a transformational
retreat at The Boghill Centre in Co. Clare
from May 26 to June 1. Here, mystical
movement, music, breath and Ancient
Bodywork will reignite our essential
wisdom.
LineageofLight.com

Davidji’s Wisdom
While training under Deepak Chopra,
Siobhan McKenna of PerfectHealth.ie met
Deepak’s then lead educator, Davidji.
She is now thrilled to bring Davidji
to the Velvet Strand, Co. Dublin, for a
unique meditation workshop from April
13th–15th. Positive Life readers can avail
of a ¤50 discount off a standard price
ticket. Visit perfecthealth.ie and use the
discount code PHPLDJI.

save the
date
Our Mantak Moment
Grandmaster Mantak Chia will
teach in Dublin for the first time in
May 2018, leading two fascinating
workshops: ‘Foundation/Basic
Practices’ and ‘Sexual Alchemy: Healing
Love Practices’. We are thrilled to be
welcoming him to Positive Nights

5

on Thursday May 17th. This unique
opportunity to learn from a living Tao
Master is not to be missed.
positivelife.ie/positivenights

health
in focus
Full Blooded
Linda O’Connor founded the private
blood testing company Bloodworks in 2013
after undertaking years of research into
phlebotomy. Bloodworks now offer over
3,000 tests, ranging from basic health
screenings to genetics testing, with no
consultant request required. The services
of a holistic doctor and counsellor are also
available to all clients.
bloodworks.ie

Heal With Dheai

DR GABOR MATÉ

Chaga Cheers
For a healthy brew with a difference, try
Chaga tea. It has a deliciously rich earthy
flavour similar to coffee, but those who
try it report feeling energised yet calm.
Chaga Tea Ireland’s founder Philip says,
“Chaga mushroom is known as the ‘King
of Mushrooms’, and with good reason. I
haven’t had a cold or flu in four years.”
chagatea.ie

Mooji’s Invitation
The renowned spiritual teacher Mooji
recently released a new book called An
Invitation to Freedom. If you are longing
for a profoundly clear and direct guide to
Self-realisation, Mooji’s Invitation is for
you. In this radiantly alive pocketbook, he
will lead you into the recognition of your
own infinite Self.
mooji.org

Dheai Ilsaaid is a general Oriental
practitioner and author with extensive
training in acupuncture, Reiki, massage,
iridology and more. He addresses health
issues from every aspect: emotionally,
physically, structurally and functionally.
Dheai treats children under the age
of fifteen for free. Children must be
accompanied by an adult. Contact him on
086 077 7700 to arrange an appointment.

Improving You
Cannabis CBD Oil or CBD, short for
cannabidiol, is a nutrient compound
found in the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa.

MOOJI

positively
newsworthy
GOOD NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE. POSITIVELIFE.IE

1 Healing Teddies, Healing Fears
CHILDREN DELIGHTED BY VERY SPECIAL ‘HOSPITAL’.
by Aisling Cronin

Anyone who has spent time around young
children will know that the relationships
they form with their favourite toys play a
key role in shaping their understanding
of the world around them. They are often
able to express new emotions and explore
unfamiliar concepts through playtime
and the power of their imaginations …
and when something happens to their
beloved teddies, it can affect them deeply.
This January, NUI Galway
celebrated its thirteenth annual Teddy
Bear Hospital event. This special event

aims to help children become more
comfortable when interacting with
doctors, nurses and other medical
professionals. The event is run by the
university’s Sláinte Society, which
invited over 1,300 local school children
between the ages of three and eight
years old to attend this year. Over 200
medical and science students volunteered
to compassionately ‘treat’ teddy bears
suffering from a range of injuries and
ailments, with the aim of educating
the children who attended and easing

any fears that they may have had about
medical equipment. The teddy bears even
had their own specially designed X-ray
and MRI machines!

“Over 200 medical
and science students
volunteered to
compassionately ‘treat’
the children’s teddy
bears.”
It is essential for medical
practitioners who work with children
to cultivate qualities such as empathy,
patience, humour and kindness, so there
is little doubt that the students who
volunteered for the event also learned a
great deal by welcoming the children and
ensuring that they did everything they
could to provide them with a positive,
relaxed environment.
Ríona Hughes, NUI Galway’s
Societies Officer, described the Teddy Bear
Hospital as “a magical opportunity for
the Sláinte Society to invite the children
and their teddies to campus and provide a
valuable learning experience for all.”
It certainly seems as though the kids were
treated to a magical day – in addition to
witnessing their teddy bears’ hospital
treatment, they were supplied with a
bouncy castle, face painting sessions
and a dazzling display by the university’s
juggling society.
At the end of this wonderful event,
the smiles on the faces of those involved
said it all.

2 A Garden With a Message
HOW ONE MAN IS TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES
by Aisling Cronin

7

“Gardening changes people’s lives
– it shows the alchemy and the art
of Mother Nature.”
As the world continues to change at a
rapid pace, communities all over the
world are in need of guidance and
inspiration. Luckily, a growing number
of grassroots citizen-led endeavours have
provided a shining glimpse of what is
possible. One man in South Central Los
Angeles – an area that has too often been
marked by deprivation and violence – is
determined to make a difference through
his urban gardening initiative, Gangsta
Garden.
In 2010, Ron Finley was inspired
to start growing vegetables on an empty
strip of land outside his home. He grew

a wide range of nourishing fruits and
vegetables that were not available in his
neighbourhood. His neighbours soon
began to express their interest in the
produce he was growing, and Finley
knew that there was a great thirst for
knowledge about gardening and healthy
living in his area.
Since then, his work has gone
from strength to strength. The Gangsta
Garden includes crops such as bananas,
artichokes, onions, Jamaican sweet
potatoes, and cotton. Tree stumps in
the garden offer seating to passers-by,
inviting them to taste some of the

produce. Local children and families
are always encouraged to visit and learn
more about how to nurture the crops.
Finley regularly holds gardening
workshops and talks all over the world to
help spread the Gangsta Garden’s message
of self-sufficiency and community
resilience. “Gardening changes people’s
lives – it shows the alchemy and the art
of Mother Nature,” he has explained.
“I’m proud that people are building and
reconstructing their lives and their
communities.”
ronfinley.com

3 Saving People, Saving Rainforests
THE INDONESIAN CLINIC MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
by Aisling Cronin
A pioneering health clinic in rural
Indonesia is demonstrating how the
health of the rainforest and the health
of local people can be addressed as
deeply interconnected issues. The clinic
is called Alam Sehat Lestari, meaning
‘healthy everlasting nature’. It is located
in Sukadana, an area of southwestern
Borneo where the average income is
$13 a month, government healthcare is
difficult to access, and the local people
have often been forced to turn to illegal
logging as a way of earning much-needed
cash.
However, Alam Sehat Lestari is
successfully addressing these problems
by offering health care incentives that
encourage the community to protect
their rainforest. One way in which this is
done is by offering ecologically friendly
work opportunities to patients as a
non-financial method of paying for their

medical treatment. In addition, the clinic
offers a variety of organic gardening
and reforestation programmes, while
remaining deeply committed to its
central goal of providing high-quality,
low-cost medical care. It also helps train
aspiring doctors and nurses.

“The clinic aims to
turn local loggers into
forest guardians.”
Sukadana is located next to the
beautiful Gunung Palung National
Park, a treasure trove of biodiversity
that is home to 2,500 wild orangutans,
amounting to 10 percent of the world’s
entire remaining population. The
preservation of this vital area is of the
utmost importance to Alam Sehat
Lestari. The clinic is guided by an ethos

that recognises the many intersections
and commonalities between human and
environmental health. It aims to ‘turn
local loggers into forest guardians’.
alamsehatlestari.org

8

2 Kindling for the
Heart’s Light
A BIG-HEARTED B&B.
by Alison McEvoy

positively
newsworthy
the little things
1 A Monastery
with a Difference
AN INSPIRATIONAL TALE
FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE WORLD.
by Emmett Mullaney and Alison McEvoy
One of the things I love about teaching
yoga is the people I meet. They are my
lifebuoys on the ocean of life which keep
my spirits afloat.
The wind was chattering through
the windows one morning when this
story-snapshot arrived into my inbox
from one such person. Immediately
uplifting, it set an upbeat tune to the days
that followed;
“A motorcycle whizzed past, almost
knocking me to the ground. Jumping out
of the way, I found myself face to face with
a pack of snarling dogs. A monk nearby
sniggered at my predicament and then
went back to staring at his smartphone.

“The reward was just
seeing the smiles on the
faces of the people we
were helping.”
Was this really a monastery? It
looked like no monastery I’d ever seen
before. Then again Thabarwa Meditation
Centre in Thanlyin, Myanmar, is no
ordinary place.
Founded in 2008 by former wealthy
merchant, Ashin Ottamasara, who
renounced his life as a businessman and
became a monk, the centre started life as
a large countryside tent about an hour

outside the capital, Yangon. Free food and
healthcare were provided to the poor, the
sick, the mentally ill and the destitute.
Today, a town of over three
thousand people has blossomed. There
are several cafés, two hospitals, an
acupuncture clinic and various monastic
buildings spread out over the settlement.
Everything bar a couple of restaurants is
run on a non-profit basis.
Our crew of international
volunteers brought patients to
acupuncture appointments, washed
patients incapable of doing so themselves,
gave art classes to local kids, helped with
the communal dinner and went with the
monks into Yangon, collecting alms. The
reward was just seeing the smiles on the
faces of the people we were helping.
In no time a glow of contentment
replaced the apprehension I’d encountered
on arrival and by the time I left,
motorcycle fumes and barking dogs no
longer held sway over me.
And the monk with the
smartphone? He just smiled at me and
went back to his YouTube mantras...”
thabarwa.org

I trundled off the bus, dazed from my
three hour journey. Xavier would soon
be there, smelling of croissants, and we’d
drive along the country road towards the
mouth of Loug Derg. I make this journey
monthly - a pilgrimage of sorts - for a
course in the quaint, ruin-dotted town of
Killaloe.
French couple Xavier and Amélie
run the B&B where I stay. Each month
Xavier collects me from the bus stop,
ten minutes out of town. Despite his
fragmented English and my barelyfunctioning French, we have pieced
together much about each other. He, for
example, was born on Ile D’Yeu (‘God’s
Island’), off the coast of Brittany. His
forefathers, too, were pastry chefs. He
loves dance music. He has a bad knee.
By the time he comes to collect me on
Saturday morning he has already been
pastry-making for several pre-dawn
hours.

“my heart is warmed
each month by my visits
to their home... [building
up stores] of gratitude,
trust and love”
Sunday evening we gather in the
hallway to say goodbye before Xavier
drops me back to the bus stop. Amélie
gives me a set of keys in advance, as they’ll
be visiting Ile D’Yeu next month. It’s the
end of his working day which started at a
staggering 2am.
My ‘regulars’ discount, collecting
and dropping me, trusting me with the
run of the place while they are away,
are offered out of pure generosity with
no gain in mind. In December I found
a Christmas card and a box of festive
tea-bags wrapped with a gold ribbon
in my room. Inside the card Amélie
wrote how lovely it was to know me
and how great a person I am. The truth
is, my heart is warmed each month
by my visits to their home, where I
experience simple acts of kindness
again and again, building up stores in
my heart of gratitude, trust and love.

spirituality
& the city
FROM YOU, FOR YOU
Lauren Kelly
Snowdrops are blossoming, cherries are
sweetening, air is softening; the beauty
of nature is reawakening. Spring, a
beautiful reminder of how enchanting
change can be. The winter storms of life
may have struck your heart, windswept
your dreams and drowned the magic of
your soul, yet still, here you are, ready to
bloom. Flowers can’t grow without rain.
Each drop of water deepens a tree’s roots.
Allow spring to help you take your time
of pain and turn it into your own sense
of beauty. Planted deep in the wounds of
your winter were seeds, waiting for this
magical moment to grow into exquisite
flowers. They can cut down all of the
stems but that will not stop spring from
coming; no adversity will stop you from
blossoming. The darkness has passed, the
light is coming, it’s time to live your life
in full bloom, young wildflower.
thepeachydream.blogspot.ie

Bob Robinson
It’s hard to talk of spring in
a city without seasons. The
summer is a saucy tease, and
winter is a no-show. I’d like to
say back home in Scotland we do
weather properly, but honestly
the Dublin approach seems
far more civilised. I choose to
measure spring from the day I
don my shorts: a watershed of
great significance for me and my
knees. On that day I wake from
hibernation, my body breathes
its first unstifled breath and I
become myself again. More than myself – I am connected to the world in a hairy-legged
embrace. And when I walk with spring in my step to the sunrise of a fierce-mild
morning, when the eyes of every second passerby flit down in puzzled judgement at my
glorious shins, I thank God I never moved to warmer climes than Dublin, or I would
surely be a nudist by now.

Joseph McGuire
2017 was challenging! Enforced life
changes; the ending of a precious
long-term relationship and a return to
the parental home; feelings of shock,
grief and anguish. Sometimes life hits
hard to wake us up. In reality I’d been in
a fog, having lost touch with my spirit
and any strong sense of guidance or deep
awareness. With the good life stripped
away, it was sink or swim time. Returning
to meditation and solitude began to
rekindle feelings of deep trust in life and
my ability to connect with a loving and
joy-filled source. A feeling of gentle and
unforced realignment has been taking
place, renewing and restoring a state of
appreciation, gratitude and joy. Taking
small steps, slowing down, opening the
heart to new friends, connections and
adventure. A new year beckons with
open arms and a beaming smile! A time
for recreating, recreation, and above all,
renewal.
clearsightcommunications.com

Karen McCarthy
Fresh air, a deep breath, greens and blues, and never ending
sunsets. Everything feels possible in spring. We are renewed
by the rebirth of the external world around us, and if we let it,
it can make way for an internal renaissance. I’m walking down
the canal, bearing witness as it comes in to full bloom, where
families of swans remind me of the tale of the Children of Lir.
Change is beautiful. But we must remember it often
comes after the darkest day. Take notice of the stunning and
seemingly effortless changes that are happening in nature
around you, and try to tell me that any changes you want to
make in your life are not possible. Change comes from within,
but it is greatly influenced by our surroundings. So open
yourself up and reflect the spring that is in the air.
tranzformedia.com

Yasia Leiserach
Singing lifts my heart on any kind of day. All through the winter
dark, this trusty friend, song, has brought a constant sense of
deep nourishment and possibility in amongst the most quiet
and sometimes difficult inner spaces. Even when inside me was
nothing but silent dark, the singing voice acts like a thread to
something beyond it all. I never trained as a singer. I sing simply
because I love it and because song belongs to us all.
And now the sun, these light-filled mornings and
approaching spring. There is a change in the songs that want to
be sung: a reflection of the gradual shift from deep quiet into the
gradual uprising of energy that comes with the spring and that
vital relationship between rest and renewal. Once I again I find
the dark has been the necessary companion of the coming Light.
yasia.org

Owen Fox
Greetings,
I’m in a beautiful park generously doused with sunshine, birds
chirping, trees and children playing. Springtime is generously
sharing her bounty.
It’s definitely a time of renewal and reawakening. However,
what strikes me most about the theme of renewal is the feeling
that life is constantly renewing in every passing, fleeting,
delicate moment. Life is constant change, always moving
forward in a beautiful stream of ‘nows’.
We never need be stuck. We always have this opportunity
to renew and share a different fragrance and vibration with the
world. The word ‘renew’ fills me with hope and gladness for this
gift. It reminds me of the fact that we are all delicious, gorgeous
creators and co-creators, creating together...
Constant change. Constant renewal. Constant creation and
recreating ourselves. Constant hope, potential and blessings for
fun, love, joy and whatever our hearts desire.
Thank you life.

11

POSITIVE PARENTING

tackling

parental guilt
GETTING YOUR PARENTING MOJO BACK AFTER HARD TIMES.

by Anna Cole

‘Guilty feet have got no rhythm.’
The longer I work with parents, and the
longer I am a parent, the more I realise
that we all feel truck-loads of guilt. We
instinctively don’t want our children
to get hurt. Ever. We ardently wish we
could make a perfect life for them. But,
unfortunately, we don’t have the power to
protect our children from all the hurts we
wish we could: the loss of a beloved family
member that knocked you, and them,
for six; the move you did for work and
the dislocation to your child’s schooling;
or perhaps you stayed put, but the class
bully picked on your child; maybe you
got sick and haven’t been able to be there
as much as you’d like; perhaps violence or
impoverishment in your neighbourhood
has affected your child, or perhaps,
like many of us, you’ve been through
separation or divorce and worry about the
impact of that on your child. You will be
able to add to this list, I am sure.
So here’s the headline: it’s not
possible to make our child’s life perfect.
And the good news is: it’s also not
necessary. Children come with a simple,
elegant way of recovering from hurt,
which I will discuss in our next issue.
Right now I want to focus on what we as
parents can do to help ourselves so we can
best help our kids.
The first thing you need to know
is that you have done your best. It’s not
your fault things got hard, but it is your
responsibility to do something about
it. Take your regret to your Listening
Partner (for more information on
Listening Partnerships and how to find
one, see the link in ‘resources’ below).
In your Listening Partnership you can
cry, tremble, shout and rage about the
things you regret. Shed those tears. They
are the rain that falls and makes the
flowers so sweet in the spring. Share the
dark thoughts you have, then leave them
behind, and when you start feeling bad
again, go back and have another Listening
Partnership. You have the right to be

pleased with yourself, and that’s what
your child wants for you. They don’t want
you feeling awful. They want you to play.
They want you to be there with them,
present and relaxed.
Most often, the voice inside
our head that digs at us about our
imperfections and screw-ups is our
parent’s voice, so you can also go back in
your Listening Partnerships and reclaim

“You have the right
to be pleased with
yourself, and that’s
what your child
wants for you.”
the upper hand you may not have had as
a child. Tell your listener: “I am a good
person, I am doing my best.” This time
around, you get to fight for your dignity.
Fight for the precious person you are.
Take on the powers that be who judged
you and found you wanting. A lot of our
contemporary fears and regrets tap into
our childhood, when for years and years
we lived with adults who didn’t know
what to do with their grown-up stresses,
and often blamed us for them.
Another perspective that’s
important to remember is that when we
were young and people were hard on us,
or scary things happened, the hurt went
in, and it stayed. As we become a parent,
what happens when we notice that our
children have been hurt and we want to
help them, is that we may start to think:
“Oh my gosh, my poor kid. They’re going
to be saddled with this for the rest of their
lives.” Actually no, they’re not. That dark
outlook most likely goes back to early
experiences from your life when you
were left alone with your hurts. Using
Listening Partnerships, slowly but surely

you can begin to thrive and learn more
from your daily experience.
You can learn tools that will
empower your child to keep working on
whatever it was that happened, until they
are fully powerful, cognisant, capable,
warm human beings. That could take
time, but one day at a time is just fine for
bringing a child through almost any kind
of difficult experience. So the future is
promising. The spring flowers look bright.
It wasn’t a tragedy that your child got
hurt. Yes, it had effects, but it doesn’t have
to be permanent. There’s emotional work
to be done, and you can build the support
to do that work. And life gets more fun as
you do. Enjoy the Spring!

Try this:
In a Listening Partnership try saying
sorry to your child. Tell other people how
sorry you are about what happened. Tell
yourself sorry.
Get silly with your kids over dinner time.
Let manners go and instigate a throwingpeas-on-each-other’s-plate food fight.
See if tensions melt and laughter rolls.
Get from today to tomorrow. It doesn’t
have to be grand, showy or magic.

Anna Cole, PhD is a parent, researcher, writer
and educator. She has taught at universities
in London, Sydney and Brighton, and is
a certified Instructor with Hand in Hand
Parenting. She teaches classes, both inperson and online, for parents of young kids
as well as pre-teens. You can register for her
next online class for parents of pre-teens at:
handinhandparenting.org/event/parentingclass-for-parents-of-preteens/

13

POSITI V E AT TR ACTION

new

beginnings
MEET THE NEW WITH PURPOSE AND CHOICE.
by Dee Wallace

It’s that time of year: new buds coming
alive, new babies being born into
the animal families, new warmth
approaching. We all look forward to
the old and the cold falling away, and
the new and the warm taking over the
consciousness of new life. We look
forward to vacations, flip flops, bikinis
and barbecues. We look forward to being
free from heavy coats and wool scarves
and bulky shoes.
The most important of these new
beginnings, above all else, is the new
beginning within each of us. What story
of the old and the cold are we ready to
rewrite in the definition of Us?

“When I value myself,
I come through
for myself all the
way and everyone
else does, too.”
Many of us are still battling with
ourselves: some parts of us want it and
other parts of us don’t. We know we want
money, but we also want to be humble

14

and not greedy. We know we want to
create health, and yet part of us believes
we have no control over our own health.
All of us must be integrated toward a clear
decision about what we want, so the new
planting of Us can take seed with a clear
direction.
Another new beginning: When I
value myself, I come through for myself
all the way and everyone else does, too.
Many of us are subconsciously burdened
down with old religious and ancestral
beliefs that when we actually come
forward powerfully for ourselves that
we have to pay a price: others will judge
me, I will have to trade something else
that is important to me to get this thing I
value, or others will abandon me because
I am too powerful and they perceive
themselves as not being that powerful.
But the biggest attack against the
nurturing of our personal soil and growth
is this: we simply do not believe we are
our own creators, and therefore it must be
someone Else’s fault we are not thriving
and growing the way we desire. Or it must
be someone Else’s responsibility to give
us the shot, the chance, the opportunity,
and if they don’t, our creation is stifled.
No, we must, as the single blade

of grass demonstrates, rise from the
soil on our own accord. We must gather
the nutrients available to us and, with
purpose and choice, push through
effortlessly to reach the sun that gives
us life. Only then can the Universe work
with us, partner with us, and send back
to us the growth and new creation we are
desiring.
The thing you want, wants you....
but only if you align yourself with it first.
Then, like any good relationship, you can
find each other in harmony.
So in this time of new beginnings,
be clear about what you want, be sure ALL
of you is on board wanting it, feel love
all around it, and hold your focus on it.
Only then will you push through to the
realisation of your creation. You had the
power all along, Dorothy!
Blessings,
Dee
Dee Wallace has worked as an author,
teacher, dancer and actress in film, television
and the stage for over 30 years (E.T., Cujo.
The Howling). Her book, Bright Light, tells that
tale and shares the spiritual lessons she has
learned from a life of acting.
iamdeewallace.com

POSITIVE HOME

authentic

service
ARE YOU BEING OF SERVICE OR MERELY PEOPLE PLEASING?
by Amanda Collins

Being of service is something that should
feel joyful and fulfilling. If it does not,
that is a clear sign that your motive may
be to please someone, not to truly serve.
Being of service feeds our soul, while
people pleasing depletes us.
When you are being of service,
your actions are authentic and nourish
you. You know that you are making a
difference in someone’s life. You know
that you are creating kindness and
spreading goodness.
But when you find yourself driving
to someone’s home to deliver a meal,
or walking someone’s dog, or doing
whatever favour you have offered to do,
and you begin to feel resentful, even
angry, then you are probably motivated by
people pleasing. Your motive is negative
and so is the energy you bring to the task.
People pleasing depletes us because we are
giving away our power. Here are some questions
to ask yourself when you feel that your intention
and motive might be people pleasing:
• Am I acting out of a lack of self-love?
• Am I doing this because I lack self-esteem or
feelings of self-worth?
• Am I worried about what this person will
think of me if I say ‘no’?
• Do I think this person will love and accept me
for doing this favour?
• Do I respect my own boundaries while doing
this?
• Am I seeking personal validation as a good
person while doing this?

If you discover yourself to be a people
pleaser, exhausted by constantly saying
‘yes’ to others, you may want to look for
the sources of your behaviour in your
childhood conditioning. Did your family,
your teachers, or other role models tell
you constantly to be a good girl or good
boy? Or perhaps, they told you that you
are a good boy or girl.

“Give yourself the
time to check in
and ask yourself
on a soul level
whether this is
really what you
want to do.”
The intention of being perceived
as ‘good’ or wanting to appear ‘good’ - by
doing things because you do not want
to offend someone or simply because
you think you should - brings negative
consequences. The ‘shoulds’ in life get
you into trouble because then you are
not listening to what your soul is calling
you to do. Your intention and motive and
your soul are not aligned and this causes
disharmony in your life.
The next time someone asks
something of you, promise yourself that
rather than just automatically responding
‘yes’ out of habit, you instead say, “Can I

get back to you about this?” Give yourself
the time to check in. Discover whether
you really do have the time and space to
help. Ask yourself on a soul level whether
this is really what you want to do.
Cultivate the new habit of really
listening to that deep, self-loving voice
inside yourself.
Learn to listen to your soul’s voice
and also to your body; if something
doesn’t feel right there, say ‘no’.
Coming from a place of pure
service and compassion, you do not
want validation, and so you become
comfortable with saying “no” and setting
clear and healthy boundaries. It does take
time to change old habits, so be patient
and kind with yourself as you explore
your intentions and your motives, and
step back from being an automatic ‘yes’
person.
The more you come into alignment
with your soul’s voice, the more you
develop self-love and true self-worth, and
the more whole, peaceful, energetic and
happy you will be. When confronted with
an opportunity to serve, step back for a
moment and affirm yourself by repeating,
“I am worthy. I am enough. I am at peace.”
Then listen to the inner voice that tells
you whether to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’, the voice
that understands the difference between
truly being of service, and merely being a
people pleaser.
AmandaCollins.com
InternationalFengShuiSchool.com

17

earthsong
EXPLORE AN OPEN-HEARTED WAY OF LIFE

by Ann Hill
Now in its twelfth year, the summer
phenomenon of Earthsong is a wellestablished part of the calendar for anyone
looking for an old-fashioned, fairy-tale
experience to restore their spirit in the
middle of the year. The music, dance
and arts camps have earned a host of
positive feedback for their carefully held
environment of play and self-discovery.
The camps run for either three or
nine days in beautiful rural locations
in Clare and Tipperary. Each day is
filled with a feast of workshops in all
areas; from rainforest songs and family
constellations to drum and circle dances,
astrology and much more. Everyone
camps together in small circles around a
central fire where all the cooking for the
camp is done and new friendships are
forged across the flames.
Earthsong camps are unique in that
their ethos of no alcohol, no drugs and
a tightly held night-time curfew make
them a safe and idyllic place for parents
and children. It has become increasingly
common for several generations of
families to come to Earthsong together,

18

often travelling from different countries
to share time and all the ingredients of
lifelong memories.
These days the founder of
Earthsong, John Bowker, often hears that
people are coming to the camps simply for
the pleasure they take from the beautiful
outdoor environment, as much as for the
activities on offer.

“…a ‘nature reserve
for humans’, a place
with enough innate
safety and kindness
that our natural
playfulness and
curiosity can come
out again.”
“In some way the camps seem to
offer people a way to find what they were
missing, even when they hadn’t realised
it. There are so many workshops on offer,
but people are likely to tell me how much
it meant to them to have a chance to chop
wood and carry water - to do those tasks
which actually feel very meaningful that
we rarely have a chance to do,”
John explains.
These days perhaps one of the
most unusual elements of the camp is
that, as an electricity-free zone, there is

no access to phones or screens on-site.
People may use their phones in the
carpark if necessary, but with the camp
philosophy of ‘be here now’, you will never
see a phone or screen in use on the field.
Unexpectedly perhaps, the lack of digital
life is not experienced as a loss but rather
as an asset. With children busy playing
and creating all day, teenagers occupied
with workshops and conversations and
open-hearted adults all around, it feels
safe to encounter life without any buffers
or escapes.
For Bowker, returning to a more
human-friendly way of living is what
Earthsong is all about. He calls it a
‘nature reserve for humans, a place with
enough innate safety and kindness that
our natural playfulness and curiosity
can come out again.” He references the
work of Su Hart, one of the teachers at
Earthsong who has lived with the Baka
rainforest people in Cameroon:
“Su explains how in the rainforest,
the tribe must be able to hold silence to
ensure their survival. You must listen to
the forest to find your food and to know if
there is any threat. But in our culture, we
are so burdened by noise it means we must
shut down, we must block out the world
so we are not overwhelmed. But there is
a cost to shutting down, if it means we
might not hear our own needs or hear what
our children or partners are telling us.”
Earthsong gives that chance to
open up again - a safe place where we
dare to hear everything around us and
everything within. Standing high on a
hill, with only the earth below and the sky
so close it seems you might touch it, there
are only sounds of children laughing,
birdsong, someone chopping wood, a
distant drum. Listen to the Earthsong
field and it will tell you; you are safe here,
the tribe is happy, everything is well.
There will be four Earthsong camps in
Ireland this summer. For tickets and
more information visit earthsong.ie

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20

love

boundlessly
AN INTERVIEW WITH MIRANDA
MACPHERSON.
by Aisling Cronin
Miranda Macpherson is a spiritual
teacher, author and workshop leader who
was born in Australia and now lives in
San Francisco. Following a struggle with
depression during her early teens, she
embarked on a journey of healing, growth
and self-realisation. Her remarkable
achievements include establishing the
OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation in
London and teaching at the Feminine
Wisdom School in San Francisco.

“Boundless love is who
we really are in our
deepest heart.”
Miranda has many years of
experience in bringing together people of
diverse backgrounds and guiding them
to explore profound spiritual truths. She
will be visiting Newry this May for a
special residential weekend workshop
organised by the Positive Living Network.

What are you most looking forward
to about your trip to Ireland?
I’ve been coming to Ireland on a regular
basis for eight or nine years. The thing

that always draws me back is the beauty
of the Irish soul. One part of my spiritual
practice involves the use of sound and
chanting … and when you get a room
full of Irish people chanting – wow! The
lyricism and soul in the Irish culture is
really palpable.

What is the most important thing
to know about your teaching of
boundless love?
When I say ‘boundless love’, I’m not
just using a flowery term. When I say
‘boundless’, I mean that there’s no ending
and no beginning. Boundless love is when
your sense of separation gives way to
the experience of nothing but love. The
significance of this is, it ends the spiritual
drought. It ends the fear. It ends the
loneliness. It ends the lack. It connects us
to what we most need in order to thrive.
Boundless love is who we really are in our
deepest heart, prior to any conditioning
we may receive.

I hear you have two new books
coming out this year. Can you tell us
a bit about them?
Yes, on the 1st of May, there’s an audio
book coming out called Meditations on
Boundless Love. For someone that might
not be able to come to one of my retreats,
this is a four-CD set where I take people

through the practices I teach. And in
November, I will have a new print book
called The Way of Grace: the Transforming
Power of Ego Relaxation. Both are published
by Sounds True.

Can I ask what you feel the quality
of grace is?
To me, grace isn’t just a beautiful state
that fills your heart – though it certainly
is that. Grace is the living presence of God,
or the Mystery, or whatever you want to
call it. Grace is what causes the planets to
move and the plants to grow. Grace is also
the power that transforms us. It usually
moves through the ‘spiritual technologies’
of forgiveness, of kindness, of love
and compassion, of really challenging
our beliefs and our ego identity. Lastly,
grace is a way of being. It is an elegant,
connected, peaceful way of moving
through life.

You can listen to our full interview on
SoundCloud – just search for ‘Positive Life
Magazine’ to find us. Miranda’s residential
weekend retreat will take place in the
Dromantine Retreat Centre, Newry, Northern
Ireland, from the 11th to 13th of May 2018. To
learn more about the workshop and book your
tickets, visit positivelivingnetwork.ie. For
more information about Miranda’s work, visit
mirandamacpherson.com.

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International shaman and sound healer Maan Kantar was comfortable in his financial career until the
year 2007, when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour that completely transformed his life.
This experience ultimately left him with a burning desire to pass on the art of sound healing to others
and help them to awaken to their true nature. We spoke to him to learn more about his remarkable
journey and his debut book, Awakening the Healer Within.
Can you tell us about your
background, and how you first
became interested in sound
healing?

22

I am half French, half Lebanese and
I’ve lived in Ireland for nine years. I had
a conventional career in finance and
achieved all the markers of success that
modern society asks of us – the material
wealth, the power – but I always felt in
my heart that something was missing.
My tumour was the crisis that forced me
out of my comfort zone. I found myself
asking: why did I get this disease? How
did this happen? The first thing I had to
do was to meet all of the false identities
that I had in my being: who I am, what
I am, how I am defined by my position
and material wealth… I looked inside for
answers. It took four years of working
hard on my physical and emotional self
before healing started to happen.

“Sound is the
sacred staircase
through which the
soul can enter the
body.”
Why do you feel that sound can
play such an important role in the
healing process?
Before my sickness, I was living, but I
wasn’t my true self. I discovered that
everyone has a deep soul purpose that
needs to emerge, and I had a great passion
for helping others to discover it. I find

that many people are not willing to do
that – partially because they are scared
of going within, and partially because of
social constructs that can actually block
people from going within. But music
can really touch people’s hearts. With
certain types of music, you can actually
move people into their inner core, free
of mental and cultural barriers. This is
why I say that sound is truly the sacred
staircase through which the soul can
enter the body. Sacred music and mantra
can bring you a sense of deep peace and
connection.

Can you tell us about your book,
Awakening the Healer Within?
I wrote the book so that people anywhere
in the world would be able to access its
information by ordering it on my website
or on Amazon. My ultimate goal is not for
everyone to come to me, but to go on their
own journeys to becoming their true
selves. The book is designed to help with
that – for example, certain chapters on
emotional and generational healing are
designed to help ancient memories come
to the surface. The book is a call to action
and a call to empowerment. I also set up
a YouTube channel offering free tutorials,
so that anyone who wants to learn these
powerful techniques can do so. My
number one piece of advice to people is:
start listening to yourself, connect with
nature, and your life will change.
Maan’s book ‘Awakening the Healer Within’
received honours at the London Book Festival
in 2017. To buy a copy, or to learn more about
Maan’s work, visit:
connectingwithmaan.com

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POSITIVE RE TRE AT

24

the

cloona cure

ESCAPE FROM THE EVERYDAY IN CO. MAYO.
by Aisling Cronin
There is a fascinating story behind the
foundation of Cloona Health Retreat in
Westport, Co. Mayo. The retreat house was
originally a mill. The parents of Dhara
Kelly – Cloona’s current owner – began
their journey of renovating the old Cloona
mill in 1969 by inviting a group of Tibetan
Buddhist monks to visit the building.
These monks had lived in Britain since the
Chinese invasion of Tibet, and their aim
was to establish a Buddhist community
centre in the West of Ireland. However,
the Irish government rejected the monks’
visa applications, which led to a change of
direction for the project.
Today, Cloona is a dedicated
detox retreat centre that offers weeklong residential programmes all year
round. When I visited in February, I was
immediately impressed by its idyllic
location. The centre is located a short
driving distance away from the bustling
town of Westport. Croagh Patrick – which
has itself been a legendary retreat and
pilgrimage destination for many years – is
a prominent feature of the surrounding
landscape. The gentle rolling hills and
tranquil environment around Cloona
made it easy for me to leave my city
worries to one side and relax into the
atmosphere of seclusion and peace.
The retreat programme includes
meditation, yoga lessons, wheatgrass,
juice fasting and two invigorating walks

per day. During their free time, guests
can book individual healing sessions that
include massage, facials, reflexology,
Seiki, Tuina and Tibetan sound therapy,
to name a few.

“The tranquil
environment around
Cloona made it easy
for me to leave my
city worries to one
side.”
In the mornings, we enjoyed a
serving of citrus fruit and a shot of
wheatgrass for breakfast. Apples were
provided for those who could not eat
citrus fruits. Six glasses of water per day
were also recommended. However, we
were discouraged from consuming food
and water at the same time, as Dhara
told us that this could interfere with the
digestive process.
Lunch was served in a small cottage
near the main retreat house. Resident chef
Isabelle prepared such wonderful food
that even while on the detox programme,
we never felt deprived. My personal
favourite was a delicious broccoli,
spinach and kale soup that was served to

us on our first day, garnished with tahini
and coconut milk. Isabelle’s carrot and
tomato soup was also very popular. Even
the locally-sourced lettuce was crisp,
tangy and bursting with a flavour that can
rarely be found in supermarket lettuce.
If you visit Cloona and want
to learn how to make these amazing
dishes yourself, Isabelle offers cooking
demonstrations every Thursday evening.
There is also a beautiful garden
to the side of the main retreat house,
complete with a labyrinth. One of
the things I enjoyed the most about
my time in Cloona was our labyrinth
walk on Tuesday morning. Before
entering the labyrinth, we picked
up a stone representing a burden we
wanted to release. We walked slowly
and reverentially into the centre of the
labyrinth, where we laid the stone down.
On the way out of the labyrinth, we were
encouraged to run, shout, hoot and
holler – to let loose, be a little bit silly, and
celebrate having released our burden.
When I left, I felt thoroughly
refreshed and ready to commit myself to
cultivating healthier habits. If you are
looking for an effective way to kick-start
your passion for healthy eating and
improve your overall wellbeing, Cloona
Health Retreat is the place to be.
cloona.ie

neo-tantra?
COMPLIMENTARY ASPECTS OF THE OLD & NEW.
by Dawn Cartwright

“ The Munis, girdled with the wind, wear garments soiled of yellow hue.
They, following the wind’s swift course, go where the Gods have gone before.”
~Excerpt from Ke´sin Hymn, 10.136 of the Rigveda, as translated by Ralph T. H. Griffith

26

Some of the earliest written evidence of
Tantra appears in the Rigveda, the oldest
of the Vedic Texts, dated roughly between
1100 and 500 B.C.E. The Ke´sin Hymn,
10.136 of the Rigveda, describes dust-clad
munis who cavorted with the wind. The
muni, known for their pursuit of ecstasy,
engaged in practices far outside the
Brahmanical norm; defining evidence of
an early Tantra tradition.

Defining Tantra
Tantra is a vast and controversial subject
– to define it is a challenging task. Many
elements of Tantra are also found in other
Hindu and Vedic paths. Yet when we take
the view that ecstasy creates the cosmos,
Tantra is a path rich with possibility.
The origins of Tantra date back
to the Upper Paleolithic Period, nearly
28,000 years ago. It is rooted in reverence
for the microcosm-macrocosm view of
fertility and the birth of the universe. The
earliest traditions, much like the muni,
were closely connected to nature. The
Tantra sutras, revealing the secrets of
existence, were songs sung by the wind,
trees, rivers, oceans and mountains.
These songs were translated by great
mystics into Mantras, Yantras and
Tantras.
The tradition we are most familiar
with today is Neo-Tantra, the ‘new’ or
‘revived’ version of Tantra. Neo-Tantra
is known for its embrace of sexuality: a
perceptive that has drawn a great deal
of controversy and scepticism. The
Christian repressive attitudes prevalent
even in India have enforced a separation
between the spiritual and physical.
Neo-Tantra weaves threads between the
the sexual and the spiritual, the human
and the divine, demonstrating, in very
beautiful ways, that each exists in the
other.

Scholars, Mystics & Lovers
“The Tantras most often tend to prefer
more esoteric subjects: speculations on
the nature of the Absolute, cosmogony,
the creative nature of sound and word,
micro-macrocosmic equivalence, the
powers of speech, communication
and handling of mantras, symbolic
interpretations of words and names,
construction of and initiation into
mandalas and worship of deities therein.”
~Teun Goudriaan, History of Indian Literature
Volume II

To explore
Tantra is to experience a mystery that
constantly unfolds without end. To
understand Neo-Tantra and the ways
this new tradition is complimentary
to the classical traditions, it’s helpful
to understand three perspectives: the
scholarly, the classical and the new.
The Scholar
To the Tantra scholar, the Tantras are
commentaries on the original Tantra
sutras, and are often found to be more
in-depth and more coherent than the
original sutras themselves. The Tantras
reveal an esoteric world known only to
Tantra adepts.
The Mystic
To the practitioner of the classical form,
Tantra is one aspect of Mantra, Yantra,
Tantra. Mantra is sacred sound. Yantra
is sacred geometry. Tantra refers to the
methods used to merge the practitioner
with Mantra and Yantra. Initiation
through a guru is a key element of
the classical path. It is said the power
contained in Mantra, Yantra and Tantra
comes to life when received through guru
initiation.
The Lover
To the Neo-Tantra practitioner, Tantra
is the weaving together of sexuality and
spirituality. The quest is to experience
the beloved as divine. Neo-Tantra
includes classical Tantra themes and
practices, woven together with modernday sexology, humanistic psychology and
bio-energetics.

Complementary Elements & Gifts
Often believed to be in conflict with one
another, Tantra in its classical form and
Neo-Tantra are in fact complementary.
The classical form of Tantra brings gifts
of focus, dedication and devotion to the
Neo-Tantra practice, while Neo-Tantra
brings confidence, energy awareness and
self-revelation to the classical practice.

CLASSICAL TANTRA ELEMENT:
THE GIFT
Yantra Focus
Awakens new neural pathways,
making it possible for sexuality to
reach new levels of pleasure and
connection.
Mantra: Dedication
Teaches the modern-day lover the
value of sustained attention and the
benefits of commitment.

Tantra/Puja: Devotion
Reveals the transcendent quality
of giving and receiving. Seeing the
divine in everything. Merging with
the divine in the beloved.
NEO-TANTRA ELEMENT:
THE GIFT
Sexuality: Confidence
Increases tapas, the fire of
transformation, grounding the
classical practices in the human
body.
Bio-energetics: Energy
Awareness Releases physical
tension in the body, unlocking the
free flow of Kundalini energy.
Humanistic Psychology:
Self-revelation
Bridges the inner experience
with the outer reality. Tools
for self-honesty, maturity and
responsibility.

“The classical form
of Tantra brings
gifts of focus,
dedication and
devotion, while
Neo-Tantra brings
confidence, energy
awareness and
self-revelation.”
The wisdom of Tantra in its classical form
offers important structure and guidance
to the Neo-Tantra practitioner. NeoTantra practices bring new vitality to a
mystical path rich with tradition. The two
go hand in hand, following the wind’s
swift course toward ecstasy.
Dawn Cartwright is a Tantric visionary,
sacred writer, world traveler, and innovator in
bio-energetic Tantra fusion. Dawn will offer
The Red Tent: Sacred Sexuality for Women,
April 26th - 27th 2018, and 2 Nights of Tantric
Bliss, April 27th -29th 2918, in Wicklow.
Weaving the Beloveds for Couples will occur
during the May Bank Holiday Weekend on
the Wild Atlantic Way. Fragrance of the Lotus
Tantra Teacher Training will begin on April
19th, 2019. To book your place, go to:
dawncartwright.com.

28

insights from the

afterlife
HEAVENLY WISDOM ADVANCING LIFE ON EARTH.
by Alison McEvoy

Just twenty years and fifteen days after he was born into this world as
Erik Rune Medhus, Erik took his own life and entered the afterlife.
Departure
Just twenty years and fifteen days after
he was born into this world as Erik
Rune Medhus, Erik took his own life
and entered the afterlife. His family
initially plunged into a deep grief and
bewilderment, but when Erik’s soul began
to make contact from the beyond, a whole
universe of spiritual understanding on
the nature of life, death and the afterlife
unfolded into their lives.

Reconnection
Erik’s mother Elisa had been raised by
two atheists and had become a physician.
She was a complete sceptic when it came
to notions of life after death and of
anything outside the scientific realm.
The gift which lay in the aftermath of
her son’s death was the unravelling of
her scepticism about the spirit world. For
her Erik helped Elisa to make the journey
from ‘sceptic to believer’.
After various encounters had
occurred between Erik and his family
members, Elisa decided to have
a channelling session with Spirit
Translator Jamie Butler. As time went
on, Erik and Elisa realised that the
reconnection they were now making, and
all that had happened in Erik’s life, was
part of a soul contract they had made with
each other;
“One of the most interesting
answers to the ‘why’ of all the pain and
suffering I experienced in my life as Erik
I didn’t figure out until much later…I was
supposed to be a guide and help humans,
and the compassion, empathy and
listening skills I gained during my life
were important for me to become a better

one… [It] came down to the spiritual
contract my soul had picked for itself.”
(Erik Medhus, My Life After Death)

Wisdom-sharing
Soon after Erik’s death, Elisa set up a blog
called Channelling Erik®. The blog aspired
to provide a community of loving support
and an outlet for those experiencing pain
and grief. Erik began taking part, visiting
blog members and sending messages
through Jamie. The nature of their soul
contract began to crystallize – together
they would blog, make videos and write
books, bringing the wisdom of the
afterlife to the earthly plane to help
people live happier, more loving lives and
to have faith in the great return to LOVE
which awaits us after death.

Continuation of life after death
The fear Erik sensed in his loved ones, due
to the belief that death was the end, was
something he wanted to help them with.
He wanted to assure them of there being
a consciousness that remains after death
and to enable them to understand death
as a ‘transition’ rather than permanent
separation. This work with his family was
the beginning of his role as a spirit guide
to help release humanity in general from
the fear of death.
In his book My Life After Death, Erik
shares the entire story, in incredible and
often humorous detail, of his death, his
funeral, meeting with deceased family
members who help guide him to the
other side and coming to terms with his
existence as the essence of himself as a
spirit – a being of pure energy. He tells of
his life review, where he is supported by a

team of spirits who help him to uncover
the love, understanding and forgiveness
in himself which often eluded him
during his life on earth.

“We can bring the
vibration of the
heavenly realm
into our earthly
experience by
becoming more
willing to feel and
express LOVE.”
Impressions of Erik on earth
Among the many interviews and
discussions where Erik shares insight
from heaven, on some of the most
perplexing questions we have as humans,
there are some in which Erik’s voice can
be heard. In others, various orbs of lights
have appeared. These impressions of
sound and image which Erik makes are
not apparent during the live recordings.
Every so often one is discovered in
retrospect and brought to Elisa’s attention.
Eventually, Elisa became intrigued
enough to send these impressions to
audio-visual experts for analysis. The
result of analysis found that the sounds
had left no voiceprint and yet were
nonetheless audible on the playback. This
confirmed that the voice was not a human
voice. For those that knew him, they
recognise the tone and pronunciation as
Erik’s own.

30

Connections with Ireland
The Channelling Erik blog community
continues to extend, stretching across the
Atlantic with members in Ireland linking
into the fold of this supportive group. Elisa
and her daughter Kristina Braly visited
Ireland recently to attend the wedding of
a blog member in Dublin. Having flown
into Shannon, they rented a car and drove
along the ‘scenic route’ to the capital. They
video-blogged the entire trip on YouTube,
taking in the views from the Cliffs of Moher,
the ring of Kerry and even kissing the Blarney
stone. We spoke to Elisa and Erik, through
medium Veronica Drake, to hear what Erik
had to share with Positive Life readers in
Ireland. The following are snapshots from
that conversation.
®

On LOVE:
LOVE is the universal language in heaven.
The soul expresses LOVE in feelings. Erik
tells us that we can bring the vibration
of the heavenly realm into our earthly
experience by becoming more willing to
feel and express LOVE.
To stop, breathe and be in
the experience of LOVE during
challenging times, creates a much more
compassionate existence on earth. On
the heavenly plane no effort is needed,
as the energy of LOVE is all-pervading.
Here on earth, to make this moment to
moment choice to act from the experience
and energy of LOVE is part of a wider
shift involving the whole of humanity.

A shift which Erik assures us will occur
‘gracefully’, gently and yet powerfully
in 2018.

On Brain versus Mind:
The Brain is like a computer, it uploads
everything which happens to us. It
memorises all of the mandates we
are given as a child by our parents,
teachers and caretakers. It is where all
our ‘programming’ is stored - all those
statements telling us who we are and how
we are meant to be. Think ‘little girls wear
pink’, and ‘big boys don’t cry’.
The Mind, on the other hand, is
our energetic connection to the soul.
The mind has the potential to think for
itself once an individual chooses the
spiritual path. When a person evolves
and enlightens, the mind awakens. The
mind then enables us to be conscious of
CHOICE. There are choices available to us
as to who and how to be, outside of the
options given to us by the programming
of the brain. Most significantly, an
awakened mind allows us to CHOOSE
LOVE instead of fear.

On emotion:
According to Erik, a mistake which
humans often make is thinking first and
feeling second. More often than not it
goes like this: we think a thought - that
thought evokes an emotion - this emotion
generates our decision to act in a certain
way. So let’s say someone doesn’t reply to

your email. You start thinking variations
on the theme that this person doesn’t
care, they just can’t be bothered. Cue
anger, bitterness and frustration. These
emotions require an outlet – namely
angry, embittered actions. These actions
will no doubt cause more of the same to
come into being.
Instead, Erik advises us to feel
first. We can CHOOSE to tap into our
intuition and emotional intelligence
first. We can CHOOSE to allow a true
emotional connection with ourselves to
occur and for these emotions to generate
our thoughts and thus guide our actions.
Our choice to be guided by emotional
authenticity with ourselves – while it
can be scary and make us feel vulnerable
– is the route to a more authentic and
compassionate life.
You’ll find Elisa and Erik’s blog sprinkled with
offerings like these; serving the curious and
the questioning among you, giving support
to those whose will to live is wavering, and
providing connection for those in need
of comfort and understanding who have
experienced the tragic death of a loved one.
Erik continuously reaches out with answers
from heaven and messages of insight, hope,
wisdom and encouragement.
channelingerik.com

“The original Tao is…a spiritual technology
- not based on a belief system, but on facts.”

Master Chia, tell us about your early
years and how you found the Tao?

How do you think Universal Healing
Tao practices can help Westerners?

I was born in Thailand which has a big
community of Chinese people. They know
the simple theory of Yin and Yang and how
to eat according to the Tao. I saw people
doing Qi Gong and Tai Chi in the park and
sitting in meditation. When I was small I
was interested in all of these things.
One day I was sitting with my friend
and we were saying we don’t believe in
chi. We had read a lot of kung fu novels
and were saying it’s not real. A man came
over and said, “My master can show you
the energy.” The next day we made an
appointment to meet him. That’s when
I met my master, who taught me the
whole Tao practice. He came from China.
I was lucky to learn from him the Inner
Alchemy part.

The way of the Tao is very much for
modern people. Taoism is scientific - it
starts from Chinese medicine, astrology,
understanding the physical, the body,
nature, physiology. Now Westerners are
discovering so many new things, and this
goes hand in hand with the Tao practice.
The original Tao is not involved with
religions, but with energy transformation
and moving meditation. We call it a
spiritual technology - not based on a
belief system, but on facts. You don’t have
to believe in God in order to do something
with your own soul and spirit.

What was the first thing your
master taught you?
He sat me down and pointed to my navel
and said to focus on it. So I went home and
I focused on the navel and I found that
the energy moved. I took one whole night
and I couldn’t sleep because there was
so much energy moving. And the next
day I went to see him and he said, “You
have a very good karma with this type of
practice, you pick it up very quickly.”

Taoists have an interesting view on
sex, can you tell us about that?
The Tao discovered that sexual energy is
our best energy. They found that arousal,
orgasm, love and compassion energy can
heal. Often times people don’t know that
love and sex have to combine together.
When you put them together it multiplies
and becomes a love vibration.

What’s the best Taoist secret your
master shared with you?
There are many of them! Nowadays
we have mobile phones, TV, movies,

Facebook - we have so many things to
draw our minds out of our bodies. In the
Tao we say you need to learn to get back to
your body and mind wisdom. When you
learn to turn inwardly like with the Inner
Smile meditation, then you understand
how much you are draining your organs.
The first step people have to learn is how
to go inwardly and create energy.

What message do you have for
people in Ireland who want to
practice the Tao?
The Tao is very simple. When you
understand the Tao, you have a better,
healthier life - a happier life. And you
enjoy life! If people are smart enough to
invest time and energy in their health,
they are never broke. Learn how to invest
in your health, take care of yourself, learn
how to practice to get more energy, to make
yourself healthier - that is the major key.
Grandmaster Mantak Chia will be teaching
two workshops in Dublin from May 18th 22nd; ‘Inner Alchemy – Tao Basics’ and
‘Sexual Alchemy - Healing Love’. Open to
beginners. On May 17th, he will also be our
very special guest at Positive Nights during
his trip to Ireland.
universaltao.ie
positivelife.ie/positivenights

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engaging

GOOD LIFE 2.0

introverts
VALUING QUIETER VOICES.

by Davie Philip

“Everyone shines, given the right lighting. For some, it’s a Broadway spotlight,
for others, a lamp lit desk.” Susan Cain
“David was a quiet wee laddie,” according
to someone I went to school with whom
my mother met recently in the Scottish
town where I grew up. Although I now
intentionally live in community and work
as a group facilitator, I definitely have
introvert tendencies. In an extrovertdominated culture that appreciates the
loudest and most outgoing, how do we
ensure that the voices and contributions
of people who are not as comfortable
putting themselves out there are valued?
Over the years I have managed
my social awkwardness and overcome a
fear of public speaking and am now very
comfortable addressing and working
with large groups. That is, as long as the
focus is on sustainable community or
another topic that I am passionate about.
Outside of my bubble I can lose my flow,
be very quiet and sometimes be severely
inhibited.

34

It was Carl Jung who first coined the
terms introvert and extrovert, to describe
his observations that people tend to
be energised either by going inward
in quiet reflection, or outward and are
invigorated through interactions with
people. Of course, it is a spectrum and
our personalities and ways of navigating
the world are a lot more complex. It is
commonly perceived that all introverts
are reserved, constantly quiet, and
unsocial, however they are actually a very
diverse group with a lot to offer the world.

“It is commonly
perceived that
all introverts are
reserved, constantly
quiet, and unsocial,
however they are
actually a very
diverse group with
a lot to offer the
world.”
I recommend reading Susan Cain’s
book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a
World that Can’t Stop Talking. It outlines
the advantages and disadvantages of each
temperament and the positive aspects of
being an introvert. Cain cites research
in biology, psychology, neuroscience
and culture to explain that introversion
is both common and normal, and notes
that many of humankind’s most creative
individuals and leaders throughout
history were introverts.

Supposedly, at least one-third of people
are and most fall somewhere in the
middle of the spectrum and can function
in both introverted and extroverted ways.
Introverts innovate and create but dislike
self-promotion; rather than speaking
out they prefer observing and reflecting
on what is being discussed and favour
working on their own over working in
teams. They are an important part of any
community and a deeper understanding
of their special needs and gifts can help
us to design new ways to engage people
which allow both temperaments to shine.
In the work I do as a group
facilitator, it is essential to be aware that
people function differently depending
on where they are on the introvertextrovert spectrum. Susan Cain claims
that traditional group work is designed
for extroverts and can disadvantage
introverts. Just as a good facilitator
needs to be able to work with people
with different learning styles or who
hold different values, they also have
to consciously design meetings which
ensure that the gifts of all are shared.
Cultivate regularly organise ‘Art
of Facilitation’ courses which build the
capacity of people to facilitate groups
and host transformational conversations
in their community. These provide
participants with new processes to better
design meetings and participative events
with the introvert in mind and help
ensure that meetings are not disrupted by
one personality type either dominating or
withdrawing.
Davie Philip (davie@cultivate.ie) is a facilitator
and trainer at Cultivate and is based in
Cloughjordan Ecovillage (thevilage.ie) For
more information on The Art of Facilitation
see cultivate.ie

“Sunshine vitamin”
(even in Ireland!)

BioActive D-Pearls:
• Are dissolved in cold-pressed
olive oil for optimal absorption.
• Come in small, easy-to-swallow
“pearls” which are also chewable.
• Available in 75ug(3000iu), 38ug(1520iu)
and Junior(200iu) of vitamin D3.
• Made from lanolin – the best organic
vitamin D source.

Cooking is in vogue. A growing number
of people want to try out imaginative
recipes and impress their friends with
something delicious. But how many of the
recipes on our TV screens and blogs are
healthy? They can be laden with processed
foods which do nothing to address
Ireland’s burgeoning waistlines and rates
of disease like type 2 diabetes.
However, there is also a movement
that grows apace with every bit of new
research confirming how many of our
twenty-first century diseases can be
related to our diet and lifestyle. People
have a growing interest in food that
genuinely supports and promotes health.
They want to be able not just to eat at
home, but to dine out and be presented
with a great choice of healthy and exciting

dishes that are bursting with colour
and fresh flavour, as well as delivering
the nutrients needed for vibrant health.
They also want to see food choices
available which reflect their own dietary
preferences, intolerances and health
concerns.

CNM’s food-based approach to
health
Whether people want to learn how to
make healthy and delicious food for
themselves and their family, or to equip
themselves for a culinary career in a
new era of enlightened healthy catering,
CNM’s Natural Chef Course in Ireland will
be answering a need.

CNM is the natural health training college
already famous for its holistic food-based
approach to health. Food is one of the
most important natural tools we can
harness to help the body regain balance,
so all CNM Diploma students, whether
they are learning about nutrition itself,
herbal medicine, acupuncture or any
other therapy, are taught to understand
and respect the therapeutic power of
organic, minimally processed food.
CNM was established twenty years
ago this year in Ireland and the UK. Every
year we train hundreds of students for
successful careers in natural health.
Since the launch of the CNM Natural Chef
Course in London a couple of years ago, it
has proven highly popular.

“All CNM students are
taught to understand
the therapeutic
power of organic,
minimally processed
food.”
We soon received requests for the course
to be offered in Ireland, and since Ireland
is my home country, I couldn’t be more
delighted to introduce the course to
Dublin in 2018.

Unique training
CNM’s Natural Chef Diploma Training is
different from any other Chef or Healthy
Cooking course. Firstly, students gain
an understanding of how the body
functions. They see how food choices
impact our immunity, cognitive abilities
and energy levels. They learn about food
therapeutics to enhance health generally,
and specific ways to support different
organs. Of course, they also acquire the
normal cooking and chef skills needed
to create delicious food that satisfies

these criteria. After every class there
is an assignment to be done at home.
Towards the middle of the course, they
begin their internship so they can put
their newly acquired skills into action in a
professional setting. The course concludes
with a business module to help would-be
entrepreneurs turn their knowledge into
a successful career. All this can be done
part time, usually over a 10-12 month
period.
Our students learn the nutritional
and therapeutic value of individual foods
and will know the answers to questions
such as: How do I make sure that I am
providing enough protein from a healthy
source? How can I increase the vitamin
B12 content for a vegan dish? What herbs
can be included to increase immunity?
What are the best gut-healing foods? What
mood-lifting ingredients can I include?
What spices can improve circulation and
induce warmth?
They also learn techniques for
preparation, cooking and storage to fully
benefit from the power of nutrition.

It’s for all food lovers
You don’t need any prior culinary or
nutritional experience to join the course.
You just have to be passionate about
food and health. Some people take the
course purely for their own interest. More
often, it’s about a career change or step
up the ladder, with students having a
business plan in mind for running a food
business such as a café, restaurant or
spa, working as private chef, developing
their own healthy food catering business
or working as a cooking instructor,
product developer, recipe writer or food
blogger. CNM’s course equips students
to make a success of their chosen
culinary career. The business planning
class is an important part of the course.
Professionals such as nutritionists,
naturopaths, nurses or fitness instructors
also find it a useful qualification to
further develop their existing businesses.
Eva Killeen is the director of CNM’s Natural
Chef Diploma Course, which launches in
Dublin this year at the College of Naturopathic
Medicine. To find out more about training
with CNM for an exciting career as a Natural
Chef, Nutritionist, Herbalist, Acupuncturist or
Homeopath, or to attend a Short Course, visit
naturopathy.ie or call 01 672 5036.

by Hans Wieland
Chilli Peppers, Bell Peppers, Hot Peppers,
Sweet Peppers, Cayenne Peppers, Spanish
Peppers, Red Hot Chili Peppers - what
have they all in common? Confused?
Ok, the last ‘variety’ the Red Hot
Chili Peppers, a funk-rock band from Los
Angeles is only around since 1983, and all
the others have nothing in common with
black pepper (Piper nigrum), but are in
fact all species of the genus Capsicum.
Commonly we distinguish between the
sweet and mild peppers and the hot and
more pungent chillies, the topic of our
article. Most of our common chillies
come from one species, Capsicum annum,
which was first cultivated in Mexico at
least 5,000 years ago.
The cult story of chillies begins
with Columbus, who thought he found
the (black) pepper and continues with the
colonial trading power of the Portuguese
bringing the chilli everywhere, leading
to India becoming the biggest producer.
The Aztec word of the native Nahuatl
was chilli, which means red. Botanically
speaking all peppers are fruits; however,
they are correctly considered vegetables

“The beauty of
growing it yourself
is in the choice of
varieties, from mild
to super-hot.”

in a culinary context. The success
story of the chilli is remarkable as the
world production and consumption is
now 20 times that of black pepper, the
other major pungent spice (On Food and
Cooking, p 418).
Hungary has its Paprika, Spain its
Pimenton, Italy its Peperoni and in China
chilli is a major spice in Sichuan and
Hunan, but Mexico remains the most
advanced country when it comes to chilli
culture, it being a major ingredient in
Salsas. At Neantog Kitchen Garden School
we grow it mainly to produce our own
sauces (see recipe below). The beauty of
growing it yourself is in the choice of
varieties, from mild to super-hot.
What makes Chillies so special?
It is Capsaicin, the active chemical
ingredient, contained in the placenta, the
tissue that bears the seeds. The variety
and the growing conditions - high
temperatures and the length of the season
- contribute to the amount of capsaicin
produced. The heat of a chilli is measured
on the Scoville Scale in Scoville heat
units (SHU), or capsaicin concentration,
named after its creator, US pharmacist
Wilbur Scoville. SHU values range from
0 in a sweet bell pepper to 2,000,0002,200,000 in a Trinidad Moruga Scorpion
or Carolina Reaper. Naturally, there is the
burning sensation in our mouth which
for some is pure pleasure.
How to grow chillies
As Chillies love heat and light, it makes
them an ideal crop for growing in

polytunnels in Ireland. Some varieties
are also suitable for pots in a conservatory.
Two or three plants yield more than
enough for a family for a year. Chilli
peppers require a long growing season
and are best sown from early February
until mid-March at the latest. I sow
them in modules on a heat propagator
at 20 degrees Celsius. Once they have
germinated I transfer them to 7cm wide
pots using potting compost. Three or
four weeks later they can be potted on to
1 litre pots. In early May in mild areas or
in mid- to late-May in cooler areas I plant
them into the polytunnel spaced 50cm
apart and staked, to prevent them from
falling over when the branches get heavy
with fruits. Apart from regular watering,
there is little else you need to do.
Chillies can be harvested
throughout the summer whenever
required. All chillies start off green and
then turn into their final colour. Green
chillies are a little less hot. Towards the
end of the growing season in October I
usually harvest all the remaining chillies
and dry them in the kitchen. They will
last for well over a year.
Here are my favourite varieties:
Jalapeno, (C. annuum), a classic from
Mexico, with bullet shaped fruits, green to red
and medium hot (2,500 – 8,000 SHU)
Ring of Fire, Cayenne type, (C. annuum),
long, thin, pointed pods, (30,000 – 50,000
SHU)
Tabasco, (C. frutescens), named after the
Mexican state Tabasco and also the name
of the Louisiana produced hot sauce,
(30,000 – 50,000 SHU). The chilli for the
fermenters to make their own variety of
the famous sauce.
Habanero, (C. chinense), from Cuba,
small bell shaped, yellow, orange or red,
(100,000 – 350,000 SHU)
Numex Twilight (C. annuum), the best
windowsill chilli I’ve grown; tiny, upright
fruit that start purple and ripen to bright
red, perfect for those without a garden,
( 30,000 – 50,000 SHU)

Chop the chillies, garlic, ginger and
lemongrass very finely (use gloves!), mix
with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to
the boil, reduce heat and let simmer for
around 15 mins, then add the arrow root
powder dissolved in water and bring to
the boil to thicken. Fill in hot into sterile
glass bottles, close and let cool.

• 175 ml of cider vinegar

Hans Wieland has worked and taught at The
Organic Centre for over 20 years. In May he is
‘retiring’ to Neantog Kitchen Garden School in
Cliffoney, again joining his wife Gaby Wieland,
herbalist and naturopath. The couple offer
a range of courses and workshops in food
growing, fermenting, foraging, cheese
making, healthy cooking and baking.

• 175 ml of water

neantog.com

• Juice of 1 lime/lemon
• 175 grams of brown sugar
• 3 tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp of arrow root dissolved in
2 tbsp of water

39

spring

POSITIVE FOOD

medley
A DISH THAT SPANS THE SEASONS.

by Tony Keogh

“The coupling of beetroot with raspberry, just like the union of
courgette and barley, bridges the merging of the seasons.”
It’s time to shake off the winter coat Spring has finally sprung. As the days
get longer so too does the list of fresh
ingredients on offer. The marriage of
the passing winter and the awakening
spring is celebrated in this dish. The
coupling of beetroot with raspberry,
just like the union of courgette and

40

barley, bridges the merging of the
seasons.
This dish is surprisingly easy
to make. Please do not be put off by
the list of ingredients. A bottle of
raspberry vinegar or a pot of tahini are
two ingredients that you will return
to again and again. Metal rings can be

purchased in any kitchen store or large
supermarket.
The punchy salsa is very versatile
and will find a comfortable home in
many settings, from a sandwich filler
to a salad dressing.

LEEK AND COURGETTE BARLEY CAKE IN A BEETROOT TAHINI CREAM WITH PUMPKIN SEED AND PEA SALSA
Ingredients for the cakes

METHOD
1 Start with the cakes; rinse the barley and add it to a
medium heavy based pot, along with the wine, the stock, the bay
leaves and the thyme. Bring this to a boil for about 10 minutes
and then lower the heat and leave it to simmer for a further 40
minutes.
2 Quarter the leek lengthways and slice it thinly. Sauté it in
a small saucepan in a little oil until it becomes translucent and
soft. Quarter the courgette lengthways and slice it into little
quarter moons. Fry these off in a little oil in a medium frying pan
and set them aside with the leek.
3 In a blender, puree the tofu, cornflour mixture and
mustard. When the barley is tender, fold the tofu mixture
through it. Season it to taste with salt, lemon and black pepper.
Remove the bay leaves.
4 Line an oven tray with parchment paper. Using a metal
ring or a large scone cutter, shape mounds of the barley mixture
onto the parchment into around 8 large discs - they will hold
their shape.
5 Bake these in pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for around
20 minutes.
6 To make the sauce; sauté the diced onion in a little oil
until soft. Add it to a blender along with the beetroot, chili
flakes, raspberry vinegar, stock, dill, apple and tahini. Blend the
sauce until it is velvety smooth. If the sauce is grainy it can be
passed through a sieve, if it is too thick add a little water to thin
it out.
7 To make the salsa; roughly pulse all the ingredients
together in a food processor. Do not over blend - you want to
maintain a rough texture.
8 Flood a serving plate with a little sauce, top with a cake
and top the cake with a dollop of salsa.
cornucopia.ie

short
& sweet
43

Nature’s Answer
THE YOUTH-BOOSTING ALGAE.
by Kumiko Kumagai
However hard we try, we’ll never be able
to turn back the clock and get the looks
and figure we had when we were younger.
Nature, however, may be able to help slow
things down.
Chlorella is a type of green algae
that grows in fresh water. Those in the
know have been taking it for many years
for its claimed health benefits. Recent
research has helped back up these claims
and it appears nature really has provided
a means to help us look and feel at least a
little bit younger.

Scientists have found chlorella may have
an ability to prevent the breakdown of a
substance in skin called elastin. As its
name suggests, ‘elastin’ is what gives
our skin its elasticity. As we get older, we
begin to lose elastin and wrinkles form.
By helping to prevent the breakdown
of elastin, chlorella may be able to keep
wrinkles at bay.
Research has also shown that
chlorella could have a role to play in
reducing weight gain by limiting the
increase in size of the body’s fat cells,

which is normally seen when eating a diet
high in fat.
Luckily, you don’t need to go
wading through ponds to benefit from
the algae, as leading brand Sun Chlorella
is now available in granule form – to be
added to smoothies and shakes – or as
tablets. It is available from Horan’s Health
Store, Nourish Health Food Stores and
other good independent health stores.
sunchlorella.co.uk

High-Tech Vitamin C
WE TALK TO JONATHAN ORCHARD.
by Alison McEvoy
Unlike most mammals, human beings do not produce their
own Vitamin C. We rely on our own prudence to make good
food and supplement choices to ensure we receive enough
of this peppy nutrient. I spoke to Jonathan Orchard of
Abundance and Health who specialises in high performing
nutrients about Altrient C, their state of the art Vitamin C
supplement.
As it stands, Vitamin C has a limited absorption
capacity when ingested by the human body. Any existing
digestion issues will furthermore diminish the body’s
absorption capacities. So, while some of us may have been
diligently taking our Vitamin C orally, it still may not have
been arriving at its desired destination – the bloodstream.

“You are guaranteed almost
complete absorption with zero
energy required by the body to
process or digest…”
Jonathan shared the story of one man who helped vanquish
the barriers facing Vitamin C in the body.
Les Nachman began taking high doses of Vitamin C
intravenously when diagnosed with heart failure in 2002.
Incredible improvements in his health followed. Upon
recovery, he began researching ways to bring the full impact
of Vitamin C directly into the bloodstream without the
need of an IV drip. His investigations led him to Liposome
Encapsulation Technology (LET). Altrient Vitamin C is
encircled within tiny liposome spheres which protect and
carry the nutritional content of Vitamin C, completely
intact, through the small intestine and into the blood. You
are guaranteed almost complete absorption with zero energy
required by the body to process or digest, and none of the
gastric distress that large doses usually create.
All science aside, we’ve known for a long time that
Vitamin C is extremely good for us. Antiviral, antibacterial,
pro-collagen and elastic skin…and with LET in the mix, now
there are more reasons than ever to reach for the Vitamin C.
abundanceandhealth.co.uk
altrient.com

My early childhood was a test of my will to be. I could not count
on the people around me to nurture my spirit so I had to find
ways to do that independently, even as a small child. I found
my own creativity and a relationship with Spirit that evolved
out of my inner quest to make sense of the senseless. I found
joy and encouragement in the inner world I developed; it kept
me alive.
Becoming emotionally self-sufficient launched me into a
passion for what I now can call sustainability. Though I did not
know it at the time, I can now see that I was being trained to be
a voice in the Sustainable Healthcare movement that is crucial
for a climate changing world. My personal quest has become
collective.
Sustainable Healthcare will be modelled and taught
at the conference I have convened for 2019, Climate Change
& Consciousness: Our Legacy for the Earth (CCC19). Prior
to CCC19, I am creating a number of pre-conference events
featuring Sustainable Healthcare for A Climate Changing
World. The first of these will be in Oregon, at the Ananda
Laurelwood Center, from June 11 – 16, 2018. Here, participants
will experience both the arts and energy medicine as
fundamental healthcare resources that anyone, at any stage of
life, can utilise. In the spirit of empowerment and celebration,
we will draw forth our innate gifts to live vibrantly and claim
our personal and our collective climate justice.

ccc19.org
Tara-Approach.org

Taoist Abdominal
Massage
CLEANSING FROM THE CENTRE.
by Maire Ni G
I’ve always been intrigued by bellies their contours, their contents and the
navel, our first connection to the world.
More recently I’ve been in awe of the
medical benefits that Chi Nei Tsang,
Taoist abdominal massage, can offer. Chi
Nei Tsang literally translates as ‘working
the internal energy of the organs’. And
that it truly is!

“Chi Nei Tsang is a
way to release the
accumulation of
tension, worries and
stresses which build
up over long periods
of time...”

45
Having experienced many various
treatments down through the years, I’ve
experienced nothing quite as powerful as
Chi Nei Tsang. I’ve never felt as cleansed
and clear internally, nor slept so well after
a treatment. The perceptible effects of it
lasting for days and weeks.
The Taoist sages of ancient China
observed that humans often develop
energy blockages in their internal organs
which result in knots and tangles in their
abdomen. The navel centre has been
referred to as ‘The Medicine Field’, as all
of the organs can be accessed through
pressure points. Through navel diagnosis
and deep massage, many ailments can

To preserve full potential of our GUILT-FREE fruit chews, we air dry
them at 37˚C. This way we share raw and blissfully natural snack, full
of nutrients and 8 times more flavour.

be alleviated, particularly stress related
conditions, stomach problems, infertility
and nervous tension. Chi Nei Tsang is
a way to release the accumulation of
tension, worries and stresses which build
up over long periods of time and are
seldom dispersed.
I’m really excited that we are
beginning a certification training in
Chi Nei Tsang in Ireland this June with a
Senior Universal Tao Instructor who has
written books with Mantak Chia on this
subject. A first for Ireland.
universaltao.ie

General
Oriental
Practitioner
(not a medical doctor)

Dheai Ilsaaid is a General Oriental Practitioner
and author of the book Oriental Medicine
& Eastern Philosophy. Treating any medical
problem naturally whether it is emotional,
physical or structural with the help of
Acupuncture, Yoga, Hypnosis, NLB, Reiki,
Meditation and Mindfullness.
Children under the age of 16 are treated free
of charge. (must be a accompanied by an adult)
Workshops and lectures also available.
www.alazusnacks.ie | team@alazusnacks.ie

For an appointment or to purchase the book
please contact Dheai on 086 0777700

46
Embrace Good Fats
TIPS FROM A FITNESS EXPERT.
by Alison McEvoy
Top Irish fitness coach Pat Divilly helps people make healthy
lifestyle changes. He believes effective long-term results are
best achieved through thoughtful planning and changes to
one’s nutrition and exercise;
“First up I tell clients to understand ‘why’ they want to
make a change. What is the underlying reason? By recognising
and embracing this, they find it easier to keep going when they
feel challenged.
Next, I get them to set themselves a roadmap; a 90-day
goal broken up into manageable chunks as if they are on a
journey.
If getting more exercise is part of this, they find
something they enjoy doing. If starting from scratch, I advise
baby steps e.g. a twenty-minute walk per day. When into a
rhythm and routine, I get them to build their time and pace up
by an extra 1% per day.
Nutrition is key to good health so it’s important to
cook as much ‘real’ (unprocessed) food as possible. Omega
(‘good’) fats are essential to the body’s wellbeing, especially the
heart, brain and eye function. I’ve been taking them since I was
a teenager. Oily fish, avocados, olives and flaxseeds are rich in
omegas as is Udo’s Oil, my favourite source. It’s organic and
packed full of good fats and more. I add it to soups, smoothies
and dressings, and drizzle it over salads or foods I’ve just
cooked.”
More of Pat’s tips feature in ‘The Udo’s Effect’ which is
available in health food stores and pharmacies. Find your local
retailer here:
naturalife.ie

A moment of high
momentum
TIME FOR ACTION GUIDED FROM WITHIN.
by April Danann
This is one of the best times to work on personal goals!
We are between eclipses so you may find yourself in a state of
flux at the moment; after all, we are living on a planet whose
consciousness is rising.
We can use this powerful energy to open doors, create
space and gain momentum for our projects. But there is more…
this is also the perfect time to select an area of our lives and
remove the blocks. There is no time like the present to access
and get to know how to use your intuition as the perfect
companion to all your decisions, concerns, issues and wellbeing - and to take that a step further by choosing an area of
your life where you feel stuck and getting to work on it, using
intuition as your guide.
Last time, we chatted about some of the key aspects
to discovering ways to find that inner voice and working
more deeply with our intuition. With all of the activity in the
heavens, this inner compass will be heightened and easier to
hear for many of us.
Best of all, the areas where you are blocked will stand out
to you and force you to take action of one sort or another. So, if
we know all of this, why not take charge and look at becoming
unstuck this year?
Here are a few suggestions to get you making progress again;
•
Increase exercise to remove physical blocks
•
Drink herbal teas with rose, calendula, hibiscus or saffron
to raise consciousness
•
Incorporate 15 minutes a day of positive thinking to shift
your energy
You can only go up from here……Ready, set, go!
Aprildanann.com

The medicinal plant known as Turmeric
has been used for centuries in healing
home remedies. Revered in ancient India,
Turmeric is the holder of a whopping
46 synonyms in Sanskrit – valiant and
glorious titles like ‘The One whose face
is light and shining’ and ‘Defender of
Diseases’. Indeed, Turmeric has long been
a friend to humanity.
Maggie Howell, Creator of
Turmerlicious, began experimenting
in her kitchen in 2016, devising fare for
her five boys to include this heroic herb.
She’d heard of Golden Milk - Ayurveda’s
‘honey and lemon’ type drink for coughs
and colds - and, after many experiments,
Maggie came up with a recipe. Her
formulation not only tasted good but
was an intelligent fusion of ingredients
to help the body absorb and digest the
hundreds of healing compounds held
within Turmeric.
With cacao for taste and chilli for
oomph, one of her earliest Turmerlicious
varieties was born – The Chilli Choc.
This is a vegan, dairy, nut, gluten, GMO

and preservative free blend of Turmeric,
coconut milk powder (Turmeric, being
fat-soluble, requires the presence of fats
for absorption), ginger, cinnamon, chilli
and black pepper (spice digestion aids),
cacao and coconut sugar.
After a time of sharing this drink
daily with her family, she noticed an
increased calm, the healing of her and her
son’s eczema, and another son reported
that his evening drink helped him to
study. It became apparent that this was
something worth sharing with the world.
Today, varieties include Chocolate,
Vanilla and a new Spice Only mix which
is sugar-free. Pop one into your handbag
or man-bag, and with the addition of
boiling water, you’ll be instantly sharing
in a drink which has been giving health
throughout the ages.
turmerlicious.com

“…an intelligent
fusion of
ingredients to help
the body absorb
and digest the
hundreds of healing
compounds held
within Turmeric.”

49

Get Your Omegas
Sussed
HEALTHY OILS WITH A
DIFFERENCE.
by Aisling Cronin
In recent years, public awareness about
the amazing health benefits of omega
oils has grown rapidly. One Wicklow
native, Keith Symes, has combined his
passion for promoting healthy oils with
his entrepreneurial spirit. After forming
the successful Wicklow Rapeseed Oil
company a number of years ago, he felt
drawn to establish a sister company called
Sussed, which focuses on the production
of pure, natural products. “I have always
been very active and I’ve always been into
healthy eating,” he explains, “so that is
what inspired me to set up the company.”
Sussed currently offers three
products: Healthy Heart cold pressed
extra virgin rapeseed oil; a 2-Calorie
spray; and Healthy Heart Plus, a

combination of algae oil and cold pressed
extra virgin rapeseed oil. Sussed’s algae
oil is obtained from a pure and controlled
environment. While omega oils can be
obtained from fish products, algae is
considered to be a healthier source, as it is
free of the environmental contaminants
and pollutants that are sadly present
within our planet’s oceans. Sussed’s
rapeseed is also sourced directly from
trusted farmers, as the promotion of

sustainable farming practices are a core
value of their business.
“We are planning to release a range
of bars in the near future,” Keith says.
“The first one we intend to launch is a
sports nutrition bar, which would be
eaten before, during or after a workout.”
sussed.ie

EW

N

Power Full.
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY • SCIENTIFICALLY TESTED • FULL SPECTRUM
Our advanced TurmaForte® Full Spectrum Turmeric reflects the intelligence and natural balance
of the whole plant and optimises its potent therapeutic benefits. Clinical research has shown
TurmaForte® Turmeric reduces the experience of joint pain of users by 86.2% within just 21 days.*

The experts in female nutritional health..
Available from www.wildnutrition.com and leading health food stores across Ireland

SHORT AND SWEE T

Find Wholeness
with Nutrition
BOOSTING FEMALE HEALTH.
Wild Nutrition’s founder and nutritional
therapist, Henrietta Norton B.Sc. Dip
NT, has personally formulated every one
of Wild Nutrition’s products to provide
truly holistic and bespoke supplement
formulations for the whole family.
“Nutrition changed the course of my life.
I suffered with chronic endometriosis
during my twenties. Each month I would
nearly pass out with the pain. To add
insult to injury, the doctor told me that I
would never be able to have children. So
I went to see a nutritional therapist who
specialised in female health. I listened. I
changed my diet. It changed my life.
Today I’m a mother of three. I
know how important it is to ensure you
are nutritionally supported to weather
the challenges that life can present.
Combining a deep understanding of

nutritional science and traditional
practices, I have formulated each product
within our range to support and nourish
your wellbeing through each stage of your
journey.”
More than 50 independent studies
have shown vitamins and minerals
in their Food-Grown® supplements to
provide far greater bioavailability and
retention. These studies show that our
body’s mechanisms recognise them
with greater ease than many synthetic

forms found in the vast majority of other
supplement brands.
Wild Nutrition raised a glass in
January this year to celebrate their fifth
birthday, and would like to say thank
you to everyone that has supported them
along their journey so far.
wildnutrition.com

51

Seasonal Goodness
TIPPERARY’S UNIQUE ORCHARD
by Aisling Cronin
The health benefits of apples have long
been a part of our everyday lore, as
exemplified by the old saying, “an apple
a day keeps the doctor away.” Con Traas,
owner of The Apple Farm in Co. Tipperary,
can attest to the widespread appeal of the
fruit. The farm was originally established
in 1968 by Con’s parents, and has gone
from strength to strength ever since.
It now produces a wide range of juices,
lemonades, apple cider vinegar, sparkling
juices and jams. The farm also offers small
cases of the much-coveted Con’s Cider,

which has a production run of just 10,000
bottles each year.
The Apple Farm’s activities don’t
stop there. They also run an on-site
camping and caravan park which runs
from May to September each year. Con
explains that the presence of the orchard
is a major aspect of the campsite’s appeal.
“We have a lot of regular visitors who
come to us year after year to stay a week or
a fortnight,” he says, “and we often attract
people who are looking to stay for a night
or two en route to Rosslare or the West.”

In addition to its famed apples, the
farm also produces pears, plums, sweet
cherries, strawberries and raspberries.
These fruits are always grown in season.
Con explains that the act of following
this natural seasonal rhythm is very
important to the farm’s ethos, “because
it means we always have something
different and fresh to offer.”
theapplefarm.com

SHORT AND SWEE T

Holistic
Dentistry
PUT YOUR BEST SMILE
FORWARD.
by Dr David Hefferon
Good Oral Health is an essential part
of overall well-being. The scientific
literature shows that the early signs
of certain diseases can appear in your
mouth, so it is essential that all sources of
inflammation in your mouth be treated in
a holistic manner.

“...the type of
material you choose
for your holistic and
cosmetic dentistry…
is a very important
consideration.”
Gum disease can affect, and be affected
by, what’s going on in your gut - meaning
gum health and good nutrition also go
hand in hand.

When it comes to the role of dentistry to
keep you well, the type of material you
choose for your holistic and cosmetic
dentistry, and the interactions between
those materials in your mouth, is a very
important consideration. As a Fellow
of the International Academy of Oral
Medicine and Toxicology, I recommend
the safe removal of mercury fillings.
Mercury is known to be the most
poisonous, non-radioactive naturally
occurring substance in the world, with
no safe level recorded by the World Health
Organisation. I have trained in the ‘Safe
Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique’
(S.M.A.R.T) and now Mercury fillings can
be replaced with either BPA free white
ORMOCER restorations or Ceramic/
Zirconium inlays or Crowns. We also
offer Zirconium implants, as Zirconium
is more inert than some Titanium alloys

and are less likely to react with any other
metals in your mouth.
The jaw joint also plays a role
in your overall structural stability
and an imbalanced jaw can contribute
to Headaches, Migraines, Tinnitus,
Fibromyalgia and Fatigue. To address
some of these issues I offer nonextraction, orthopaedic orthodontics.
All of these matters will be taken
into consideration during a holistic
dental consultation. You will also
be walked through the full range of
cosmetic options available to help you put
your best smile forward in life. Indeed,
my motto is that the mouth is where your
inner smile meets your outer smile.
dundrumdentalsurgery.ie

Spirituality & The Cit
SHORT AND SWEE T

Braco’s Embrace

53

THE GAZING GURU.
by Aisling Cronin

The extraordinary Braco has touched
hearts all over the world with his
understated, heartfelt approach to
assisting people’s spiritual growth. Born
in 1967 in Zagreb, Croatia, Braco initially
pursued a conventional high-achieving
career. However, his life changed forever
when he met the great healer Ivica. Their
supportive friendship helped Braco to find
peace, harmony and a profound sense of
purpose. Following Ivica’s death in 1995,
Braco began to follow in his footsteps by
aiding the people of his community in
any way he could.
Braco’s peaceful Gaze and his
powerful Voice have since brought
comfort and solace to spiritual seekers in
Germany, the United States, Mexico and
many other countries. He will be visiting
Dublin for the first time as part of the
Health, Wellbeing and Natural Therapies
Expo in the RDS, Dublin, on the 28th and
29th of April 2018.

“At the upcoming event in Dublin, each
visitor will receive a free Braco DVD,
which itself is a powerful way to connect
to Braco,” his team shared with us. “His
Gaze seems to work with people regardless
of culture, religion, nationality, lifestyle.
It simply does not care about our
differences and reaches us where we are
simply humans. Even celebrities like
Naomi Campbell, Matt Bomer and Donna
Karan have found a deeper meaning in
Braco’s Gaze.”
Further details about Braco’s visit
are available at: facebook.com/
BodyMindSoulEventsIreland. To learn more
about the mysterious gazing guru, be sure to
check out his website. braco.me

One of Ireland's biggest Health,
Well-Being and Natural Therapies Expos
Is taking place in Dublin in April 2018.
Experts from the world of Health,
Well-Being and Natural Therapies will
descend on Dublin for this huge Holistic Expo.

Enlighten Up!
Health, Well-Being &
Natural Therapies EXPO

Also in attendance will be Braco The Gazer.
Braco, for the past 15 years, he has gazed at
10,000 people a day who claim that his
gazing has profoundly impacted their lives!

www.braco.me

RDS - Hall 4 - Dublin

So, Enlighten Up, join us in the RDS

28th & 29th April 2018

TICKETS AVAILABLE ON

www.bodymindsoulevents.com

Wilderness Lodge Retreat Centre
Glenmalure - Co. Wicklow

Professional wanting to swap busy-ness for stress-free productivity?
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Large Conference Hall and Self-Catering Apts.
Available all year for Residential Retreats and
Personal Development Workshops. Discounts for
large group bookings up to 16 people

We provide offline and online training and coaching programmes to
busy individuals, small business or larger corporates to uplift
well-being, performance, productivity and innovation
Our pragmatic tools enable anyone, regardless of skills, to design
the life they want.
Our Academy provides short talks, half-day workshops or longer
action-coaching programmes. Each is designed to embed longlasting change. We find a blended approach works best so have
created an online micro-learning school.

Olivia is a gifted
energy healer trained
in multiple healing
techniques including
Reiki, Integrated Energy
Therapy and Ancient
Rainbow conscious
Healing.
Clients absorb the high frequency healing energies within
sessions. Benefits include reduced stress, decreased physical
aches and pains,relief from grief and loss and other deeply
rooted emotional issues. Treatments also assist females with
fertility issues.
Clincs held daily in Tralee,Killarney
Killorglin and once a month at Harvest
moon center in Dublin.
Investment 60 euro per hour long session.
Energy healing candles are also available on
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www.healingforwell-being.com

SHORT AND SWEE T

Wilderness Lodge

55

EMBRACE THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT.
by Alison McEvoy
I spoke to Frank Quinn recently about the
journey which led him into the Wicklow
wilds, his spontaneous decision one
morning, and what the Wilderness Lodge
he created there has to offer.
“My Story and the Wilderness
Lodge began 10 years ago. I was out
walking with a charity hillwalking group.
While in the wild valley of Glenmalure
that weekend I stayed in the Coolalingo
B&B Farmhouse Accommodation. The
next morning I noticed a ‘For Sale’ sign
on the next door property. On the way up
the road leaving the valley that morning, I
said that I would buy the property if it was
alright with my Neighbour.”

“After a day in the
mountains you should
go home with a lot of
mountain spirit.”

It wasn’t until returning from
an expedition in Antarctica that Frank
seeded the idea that would turn that
property into the six homely, self-catering
apartments and cosy cottage that is the
Wilderness Lodge. It was a Mountain
Leadership program in the wake of his
expedition which set Frank thinking
about the notion of leadership. “I thought
I would make the world a better place by
helping to make everybody a leader in
their own right,” he recalls. Trekkers,
hillwalkers or groups interested in the
outdoors, a challenge, fun and relaxation
can undertake self-guided journeys,
building confidence and character, from
the doorstep of the Wilderness Lodge

along majestic routes through forests,
over hills and mountains, down into
valleys, around lakes and across ancient
settlements.
Frank, a veteran of marathons,
treks and climbs, is well aware of the
benefits of the outdoors on the body,
mind and spirit. Through the invitation
which the Wilderness Lodge offers, he
“would like to make the world...a more
healthy, balanced and peaceful place.”
He is assured that “after a day in the
mountains you should go home with a lot
of mountain spirit.”

error, but Michael feels that the resulting
product was well worth the effort.
There is no doubt that Vegus
has achieved some incredible things.
A staggering 90% of their first-time
customers buy from them again, and
every year for the past nine years,
the company has had to double its
production.
Broccoli sprout juice contains
a potent natural substance called

sulforaphane that has been extensively
researched by scientific institutions
all over the world for its reputed health
benefits. Michael advises those who are
interested in learning about these benefits
to simply Google sulforaphane and make
up their own minds.

wildernesslodge.ie

Mighty Juices
TAMING THE BROCCOLI BEAST.
by Aisling Cronin
Michael Reynolds – founder of Vegus
Juices – has a truly pioneering spirit. His
passion for helping people to experience
the amazing benefits of raw broccoli
sprouts, without any of the risks, led
Vegus to become the only company in
the world to successfully create a raw
broccoli sprout juice. The reason no other
company has achieved this feat indicates
just how difficult it is.
“Broccoli sprouts are absolutely
wonderful cornucopias of vitamins,
minerals and enzymes, but the problem
is: fresh sprouts can be dangerous,”
Michael explains. “They have a very short
shelf life and an unfortunate tendency
to become contaminated with e.coli and
salmonella. So I set out to find a way to
make fresh sprouts available without the
risk, using all kinds of pasteurisation
techniques, until eventually, I found a
way to do it.” He and his colleagues had
to go through a great deal of trial and

vegusjuices.com

POSITIVELY
ME TAPHYSICAL

56
mindful

movement
SPRING TO LIFE WITH NATURE.
by Alison Canavan

If you have been following my journey
with movement, you will know I’m a fan
of change when it comes to the physical.
I always need variety and sometimes a
challenge. However, more recently I have
been doing some deep diving, and during
the winter months I felt a strong pull to
connect with nature.
For me the winter months are the
gestation period preparing us for rebirth
into the spring. Getting out daily for some
light and air is so important as we enter
springtime to help nourish our body,
mind and spirit. Connecting with nature
is deeply nourishing for us because we
mirror nature, and when we tune into
it, our bodies respond accordingly. Just
think about how grounding works.
Have you ever taken off your shoes
in your garden or the park and walked
barefoot? Does this connection with the
earth make you feel better? An increasing
number of scientific studies show us that
‘grounding’ or ‘earthing’ has real health
benefits. The Earth is like a gigantic
battery that contains a natural, subtle
electric charge - a special kind of energy
present in the ground. When we connect
with this energy, it carries information

“Connecting with nature
is deeply nourishing for
us because we mirror
nature.”
and helps align us with the greater
network of intelligence of our planet.
Nature shows us how to effortlessly
move with change even during difficult
times like the harsh winters. I must admit
I’m in awe of Mother Nature and recently
on my daily walks I have been inspired by
the beautiful daffodils and snowdrops
emerging with colour, vitality and new
life into the world. For me, this time of the
year signals a fresh start and new growth.
As human beings, we often get lost in the
chaos and speed that modern living brings.
Very rarely do we stop and take a moment
to notice the world around us. Just like
our phones, we need to be recharged. We
can plug into Mother Nature and she will
happily do that for us. As the sun grows
stronger and infuses new life into nature,
let it do the same for you.
When we move our body more
mindfully, we get more from it because
our bodies are intelligent and they know

when you are connected. We can all
exercise mindlessly, but is that really
honouring ourselves and our bodies? If
you want to reap the real rewards from
exercise, tune in to yourself.
Try walking in nature and taking
some deep breaths to tune in. Look
around and really take in everything
that is happening. From the new buds
on the trees to the fresh grass growing,
the signs of life are everywhere. The
new spring flowers are carpeting the
ground, bringing new life, and the cells
in your body respond to this, ready to be
reawakened. Consider this the childhood
stage of life – and just like a child, get out,
play and have fun. Walk daily and take
in the changes both in yourself and the
world around you. Notice how walking
mindfully changes your experience.
Record your walks in nature using a
gratitude diary for what you see each day,
helping to connect your body, mind and
spirit in a fresh new spring exercise.
becomplete.ie

New Zealand
Available from health stores and independent pharmacies nationwide and www.antipodesnature.com

POSITI V E PERSPECTI V E

Truthseeker
IF ALL WE HAD WAS FAKE NEWS.
by Elva Carri

Living in a time some have referred to as
‘post truth’, what does this mean? Why
does it matter? And can we turn the tide?
In a great video explaining Post
Truth, the Rubber Bandits quote the
definition as, “Relating to or denoting
circumstances in which objective facts
are less influential in shaping public
opinion than appeals to emotion and
personal belief.” Boiling it down, facts
don’t have the same effect on us as calls to
our feelings and personal experiences.

Seeking Truth Around Us
We have so much media to reinforce
personal beliefs that we are highly and
constantly at risk of these beliefs feeling
like the truth. Everyone, wherever they
lie on the political spectrum, has a
responsibility to seek out truth. Who
and what we believe ourselves to be has
been appealed to and entertained to our
detriment by news outlets, regardless
of which one we choose. Many on the
left guffawed at the idea of Trump as
president and they did so along with their
news source of choice. I’m not sure as
many sought the truth in how and why he
rose to the top. The majority did not seek
out why so many people were so desperate
for such a huge change. Ignorance was
hilarious bliss until it was too late.

“When it comes to
digging into our own
opinions and beliefs
and really hearing
others, empathy
and compassion
are difficult…But
they’re the best
tools we’ve got.”

Seek Truth in Yourself

Being Truthful

In order to dig deeper, beyond bias, we
have an even harder task: to seek honestly
the truth of who we are. What we believe,
what has happened in our lives, and what
we aspire to be, all inform our selfidentity. Sadly, it takes only the slightest
challenge to our sense of self to unsettle
us to the point of rage or extreme upset.
Who we are is all we have at the end of the
day, and we must be sensitive to that. But
we need to listen in a way that is so open
it will almost certainly be uncomfortable.
Know that abortion is something that
upsets you on an existential level, allow
yourself to find the very thought of it
utterly wrong, and yet, bravely consider
the other sides.
We have two great tools to aid us
in this: empathy and compassion. These
are often portrayed as lovely, soft, warm
qualities. They are not. They call us to rid
ourselves of assumptions and forget the
life we’ve lived - what could possibly be
more difficult? When it comes to digging
into our own opinions and beliefs and
really hearing others, empathy and
compassion are difficult, hurt like hell
and take huge strength. But they’re the
best tools we’ve got, to know ourselves
truly enough to think beyond ourselves.

Last but not least, we must practice
truthfulness! In the Baha’i faith there is
a quote, “Truthfulness is the foundation
of all human virtues.” If our words and
actions look kind, but lack the effort real
truth and sincerity take, can they really
land with the impact we’d desire them to
have? It’s not easy to be truthful all day
every day, but if we can practice it in cases
where it’s hard to but where it seems to
not really matter, I believe it will help us
work that muscle enough that when the
time comes when it is important, we’ll
be ready and able to do it. I also believe
people forgive mistakes much easier than
they regain trust, so let that help make it
easier for you to risk the truth.
The truth isn’t always the nice
option - to speak or to know - but if we fail
at the smallest hurdles, what hope have
we when it comes to walls? I believe you
can do it though - and that really is the
truth.
Elva Carri is the founder of GirlCrew.
GirlCrew.com. Twitter: @elvacarri

59

60
diary of

a voyager
FOLLOW YOUR HEART: THAILAND
by Sigita Paliukaitė

During my stop in historical Ayutthaya,
I met an American woman who said
something which clung to the narrative
of the rest of my travels in Thailand;
“Community is important, connection is
important.”
Soon after, I arrived in
Kanchanaburi. In a simple raft house on
the edge of the town I slept for five days
like I’ve never slept in my life! Not only
because of gentle rocking of the river but
also the healing sensation in that place
where you can actually sense the balance
of life. The river inhabitants there live
in complete harmony with their human
neighbours. I woke up every morning
with a feeling of ease, as if something
inside me was untangled after each
night’s sleep.
As I travelled farther, in
Sangkhlaburi near the Myanmar border,
I met an inspiring Burmese woman
who explained some of their ways of
life to me; children in school are taught
to be conscious of their surroundings
and their imprint on the planet by
taking care of the natural world around
them; the women of the town look
after single, young mothers; the doctor
makes weekend visits to the poor and
elderly who can’t get to the hospital;
the local baker taught children from
underprivileged families to bake sweets,
and now, in the market, those children
sell their goods, instead of falling for

the temptation of ‘easy’ money of drug
trafficking. It was a beautiful, exemplary
community. Everybody volunteered their
time and skills not only for their own
town but for the minority villages around
as well.

“It didn’t come as a
big surprise to ‘hear’
that…all my heart
wanted was to go
deeply inwards and
finally find that love
and forgiveness.”
In Northern Thailand I spent my
weeks in mountains, waterfalls, elephant
sanctuaries and jungles, stuffing my
belly with delicious foods….until I got it
all out of my system and felt the need for
depth. You ask, the universe provides. I
was having breakfast, chatting to a young
guy about books, when out of nowhere he
told me about this monastery, high in the
mountains, where it’s possible to go and
stay without prior arrangements. And so
I did.
When I met the monks they were
filled with so much light, peace and
contentment, flowing out of them like
rivers, embracing me, caressing me.
They’re very easy on you in the monastery

and leave you quite flexible. The teacher
told us not to take in anything without
questioning and confirming it within,
from any teachers or teachings. You go
silent for as long as you wish to, if at all.
I did six days. Silence itself proved to be
the biggest challenge - the chatter in my
mind never stopped, and in fact it was the
most perfect way to see and hear it. The
abbot calls it monkey mind, but I’m pretty
convinced I’ve got the whole zoo in there!
On the third day I felt that my
heart opened spontaneously. The feeling
of love cascaded in and out of me like
waterfalls; all was love. How strong and
overwhelming it felt. So many times I
kept swallowing loud sobs throughout
the meditation sessions, not allowing
my ego to make a spectacle out of this
beautiful experience.
I left the monastery with an aching
heart but knowing that my work there
was done. I asked my heart what it wants
from me, and listened to the answer
very carefully and attentively. All it
wanted was self-love. It didn’t come as a
big surprise to ‘hear’ that it didn’t care
that much about seeing, meeting, doing
and experiencing - all my heart wanted
was to go deeply inwards and finally
find that love and forgiveness. But my
travels are far from over… and something,
something so delicate, so subtle, but yet
vital, has changed inside me with no
return.

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POSITI V E A STROLOGY

key transits in

vedic
astrology
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2018.
by Calodagh McCumiskey

62
The planets travel around the sun at
varied speeds and rhythms. Saturn is the
slowest, taking 2.5 years to move through
each sign. Rahu and Ketu, the north and
south nodes of the moon, take a year
and a half in each of the 12 signs. Jupiter
spends one year and the Sun spends one
month in each sign. The moon travels 13
degrees, ten minutes daily. Mars, Venus
and Mercury take 1.88 earth years and
224 and 88 days respectively to complete
their rotations around the Sun. All of
the celestial bodies bring their own
dynamics and effects as they transit
through each sign, causing havoc for
some and enabling others to shine and
thrive in the same sign, depending on the
houses they occupy and other planetary
variables in your personal chart. Planets
are like people. Some get along and some
don’t. Some bring out the best in each
other and others bring challenges which
can be blessings in disguise. The slower
moving planets – Saturn, Rahu, Ketu and
Jupiter – bring about deeper shifts in the
world and our lives.
Saturn, the slowest moving of
the nine key planets in Vedic Astrology,
is most influential. Where Saturn goes,
serious work happens. It encourages you
to take responsibility for the areas of
your life related to the house in which
it is placed. Sagittarius is the sign of
dharma, right action, truth, justice

and spirituality. As Saturn continues
its transit in Sagittarius in 2018, this
planet of business and industry will
bring strong economic and industrial
expansion around the world. Hard
work will pay dividends. Standards of
authority will be tested and ultimately
strengthened. Leaders and teachers will
be challenged to walk their talk.
On a personal level, Saturn will
make us slow down, think twice and
look at our beliefs and values before we

“Planets are like
people. Some
bring out the best
in each other
and others bring
challenges which
can be blessings in
disguise.”
act. Saturn does well in Sagittarius, but
it brings discomfort to Sagittarius and
owner Jupiter. The spotlight on justice will
challenge authority and structures that
are not meeting standards. This prompts
us to look at our behaviours and bring the
best of ourselves to every situation.

Saturn in Jupiter’s fire sign will also
cause extremes in weather, increasing
drought and floods around the globe. We
can also expect more fires. Like Saturn,
Rahu and Ketu give results related to
karma. They bring change. Rahu is in
Cancer and Ketu in Capricorn throughout
2018. This will bring unsettled feelings
deep within and a tendency to take some
things too seriously and miss what is
truly important.
Jupiter – the planet of expansion
– in Libra, the sign of balance, until
October 2018 calls us to find balance
within, in relationships and the wider
world. Business related to relationships
and partnerships will grow as people
work to balance their own and other’s
needs and grow partnerships. Industries
related to beauty, style, fashion and the
arts will expand.
2018 will bring many possibilities
and powerful growth potential, both
spiritually and in the outer world. Stay
connected, grounded and focused, using
common sense as your guide, and you
will shine through.
Calodagh McCumiskey is the director of
Spiritual Earth in Rocklands, Co. Wexford.
spiritualearth.ie
calodaghmccumiskey@gmail.com

INTERDIMENSIONAL
DOORWAYS
5TH MAY 2018
MARYBOROUGH HOTEL & SPA, CORK

‘2018 is a powerful year for spiritual
empowerment and action’.

Join Australian based channel and teacher, Alexis
Cartwright, and learn how you can optimise the energies
of 2018 to expand and accelerate everything you touch.
Come along to this one-day event to propel you on your
path to personal and spiritual freedom. Bookings essential.

Alexis will also be delivering this series of workshops while she is in Ireland.
Trance Channel - Thursday, May 3rd.
Morning session: 10.00am - 1.00pm. Evening session: 2.00pm - 5.00pm.
Alexis’ Trance Channel sessions provide you with an opportunity to receive divine healing and a channelled
reading about your journey of ascension. A maximum of seven people can participate.
Interdimensional Doorways: Saturday May 5th, 10.00am - 5.00pm.
During the Interdimensional Doorways event, Alexis will teach you how you can rapidly accelerate your
path to personal and spiritual freedom.
Alchemy Workshop: Sunday May 6th, 9.00am - 12.00pm.
During the Alchemy Workshop, you will work with Alexis’ Healing with Alchemy set and learn powerful
meditation and grid work procedures that will trigger an alchemical healing response within you.
Dragon Power & Raven Power: Sunday May 6th, 2.00pm - 5.00pm.
Alexis will discuss your divine ‘Raven Power’ and ‘Dragon Power’. Your Dragon Power supports your
kundalini, enabling it to rise into your heart chakra. Your Raven Power supports you to open your third
eye chakra on a profound level.